Sibling Rivalry
by Lizmun
Summary: I wrote this story long ago. Only recently did I bother to revise it! A story set on the notion of what if Ryouga and Ranma were not only rivals, but Brothers? Chapter 4 & 5's up! Woot!
1. Message from Purgatory...

Author's Notes: :: author approaches, and instantly gets on   
her knees, which is so conveniently on top of your head, and humbly   
begins to apologize:: Sorry bout this fic, folks.. Just that I needed   
to write something that was bothering me for a while! I would really   
like some comments on it though. All characters portrayed here are   
creations of Rumiko Takahashi-sensei. We're not worthy of your greatness!  
  
If you want to email me, and threaten me to never ever write an   
alternaverse fanfic again.. I'll accept that too! Otherwise, hope you   
enjoy!  
  
Story notes: While browsing through the Ranma Fanfics, I   
stumbled across a nice little ditty about a What-if story, on the   
concept of Ryouga being Ranma's long lost twin! (And I do mean Lost!)   
Seeing it was semi-outdated, and kind of short, I opted to myself to   
elaborate on the subject. If the original author is out there, and   
reading this story, and doesn't like me to keep it posted, due to shame,   
his/her time of the month, Tell me, and we'll come to an   
arrangement.  
  
PS: I'd like to thank my friends who are as loony as I am, and   
blame the great Kami-sama for the gift of insanity! Thanks Kami, don't   
know what I'd be without ya!  
  
This fic is rated Y-14, cause it deals with mortality.  
  
==================================================================  
  
Ranma Nibunnoichi in:  
Sibling Rivalry  
Part 1  
  
Thunderclouds loomed over the once blue skies of Nerima,   
promising rain to the drowning flora that have had already enough   
water as it was! These days, it seemed to rain much more than usual,   
but hey.. this was Japan! What do one expect when living an piece of   
land surrounded by water? Feh! Anyway, this author digresses. On this   
dreary, wet day, many of the residents were hurrying their way home,   
wanting to get out of the oncomming rain as soon as possible. Saotome Ranma   
was no exception.  
  
"Jeez Akane! Will ya hurry up? I want to get back to the dojo   
before it starts raining!"  
  
The said girl just turned her nose away and began to walk at   
a much quicker rate, trying in vain to lose her companion.  
  
"Go ahead, Ranma, I'm in no hurry."   
  
For her, it was bad enough that Ranma was cranky for changing   
right before school started... of course Kuno had helped (involuntarily)   
to ease his anger, but to have Shampoo glomp into him like that.. That   
could've been avoided! If that weren't bad enough, the jerk had the   
nerve to go pick on Ryouga! The poor guy! He had finally found his   
way back, and Ranma welcomed him by teasing him?! What a Jerk! Unlike   
that dummy, Ryouga was a very sweet guy! He always enjoyed her cooking,   
(Which was the cause of the fight. Ranma wouldn't try at least one of   
her cupcakes! So, okay, maybe she shouldn't have breaded them, and   
maybe she slipped a little more Tabasco sauce than normal, but he   
could have at least tried them!) In addition, Ryouga was always   
defending her whenever Ranma would open his big mouth to insult her!   
The nerve of that Ranma! Didn't he even care what she thought, or what  
anyone else did for that matter?  
  
Ranma looked up ahead at Akane. He inwardly wondered what   
he did this time to piss her off again? He hoped that she still was   
not angry for what happened during lunch! It wasn't even his fault!   
First, Shampoo comes up unexpectedly, asking for a date! Yeah   
Right! Then, Akane wanted him to eat some.... well, he didn't know   
what it was! From the looks of whatever it was, no one could! He doubted   
though that it was supposed to be blue. Then to finish off the bad day,   
Ryouga comes yelling in about Akane something or other! It was always   
the same with him! That guy would never give up! Such a Pig-headed...   
  
"Excuse me.. Can you tell me where the Tendo Dojo is?"  
  
~Well.. speak of the devil..~ Ranma thought to himself.   
"Yo Ryouga! Over here! Left buddy! Turn Left!!"  
  
Ryouga blinked, then looked away at the storeowner, trying to   
locate that familiar voice he turns his right. Not short after doing   
so, he hears a slap to the opposite of him, causing him to redirect   
himself and see Ranma with a hand placed across his eyes as if in   
resignation, and standing upon a wire fence.  
  
"Oh, Hi Ryouga!"  
  
Ryouga's eyes traveled down from the fence Ranma was   
perched upon to the ground where Akane was standing close-by.   
(Although she stood a little ahead of Ranma, she was still   
considered too close to his liking.)   
  
Akane's hair moved mysteriously by some unfelt wind, whipping some   
black strands unto her soft, rosy cheeks. Her school uniform fluttering   
with grace and delicacy. In Ryouga's mind, all this completed such a   
perfect image of his angel Akane, so much like a dream. Of course, this   
also caused Ryouga's emotions and mental state to "Poof" noisily, and   
enacted him to nervously twiddle his thumbs. He squeaks a nervous laugh,   
and brings an arm back, rubbing the tension off from the nape of his neck.  
  
The wind grew louder and bristled a few leaves across the scene,   
clouds moved unto the city as the silence passed between the three   
teenagers.   
  
"So, Ryouga! Figured you'd be in Ogasaka by now!"  
  
"RANMA!"  
  
Ryouga's face grimaces, as if he looked hurt, but before   
Ranma got a chance to realize the emotion, Ryouga quickly masked it,   
and returned a furious glare at his adversary. Damned to Hell if he   
would ever let Ranma see him show weakness! What was it that came over   
him? He would never would let himself show mercy to that womanizer.   
Perhaps it was because he was starving? Nah! Akane was kind enough   
to give him some of her bento. What were they? Crab-puffs? At least   
he thought they were crab-puffs. Why they had and oozy blue center   
was beyond him. And what was with the Bright light? Man... he needed   
a rest. Yeah.. that sounded good. Ranma can be pulverized later. *THUD*  
  
"Eeeek! Oh my gawd! Ryouga? Are you okay?"   
  
Akane runs over and kneels over to where Ryouga had fallen   
face-flat onto the concrete, which had cracked due to the impact. She   
turns him over and looks at his pale face. This worried her greatly. She   
pulled up her hand and began to slap his face, attempting to snap him out   
of his condition, but after the third slap, she stopped abruptly and nervously   
placed her hand upon his forehead, wincing back slightly at the amount   
of heat being generated. He was burning up! Ryouga hardly ever got   
sick.. did he? Well, she didn't know him well enough, but she had to   
help him. She was her friend! She looked up at Ranma, who was in   
the process of yelling at Ryouga's ear trying too to wake him up as well.   
Her eyes met his, hers on the verge of crying, and his, shocked with confusion.  
  
"Ranma! He's burning up! He needs our help! We have to take him   
to Dr. Tofu's, quickly, Please!"  
  
Ranma blinks. This was strange! Strange for even Ryouga! Man,   
knowing how things worked around here, he wouldn't doubt it if it were some   
sort of paralysis potion.. or maybe it was the after-effects of Akane's   
Cooking. Both were pretty darn deadly looking! He shook off that thought   
and looked down at Ryouga who was now trembling slightly. Man, that   
wasn't good. Ranma kneeled down and slung Ryouga across his shoulder,   
carrying him fire-man style. The guy weighed a ton! Must be all the   
snacks he had as P-chan... After securing the fallen boy on his shoulder,   
Ranma then looks back at Akane, who was trying desperately to pick   
up Ryouga's bag.  
  
"Just leave it Akane! I'll come back to get it! I doubt   
anyone'll take it away!" He smirked.  
  
Akane nods then runs up ahead to go prepare Dr. Tofu, or to see   
if he wasn't busy with another patient. Ranma followed, a few steps   
behind her.  
  
They both reach the clinic where they saw Dr. Tofu escorting   
one of his "regulars" out from the clinic. He was being led out   
by a pretty, young girl in some sort of tiger-striped bikini, and for   
the darnest reason she was extracting horns from her green mane. But   
they've seen many strange things lately, plus, they had more important   
matters to take care of. The patient that was being escorted out, looked   
as if he had fought against an electrical powerline.. and lost. Tofu just   
wached the two as they left the clinic, and sighed inwardly. Especially   
when the boy in question saw Akane by the gates, and decided at that   
moment to glomp at her. He let her go of course, but only after being   
pounded to the ground with a hyper-dimensional mallet by Akane, and   
have had being mysteriously electrocuted by his companion.   
  
After seeing young Morobishi being dragged away by his fiancée,   
Dr. Tofu looked back up to concentrate his attention toward Akane.   
  
"Hello Akane! Oh dear! Is something the matter?"  
  
Dr. Tofu was referring on how Akane was shaking, but it was not the   
type of shaking as if it were from cold or from a fever, but of sheer   
anger. Akane snapped out of it by the sound of Dr. Tofu's voice, and at   
that moment Ranma approached the family doctor.   
  
"Sensei! Something's wrong with Ryouga! Ranma and I were walking   
home when we saw him. He looked fine at first, but then he fainted. He   
was pale and shivering! Please! You have to help him!"  
  
Dr. Tofu moved aside, nodding.   
  
"Take him to the examination room, bring his stuff as well."  
  
"Um... yeah, well we had to leave his stuff. Don't worry Doc!   
I'll go get it."  
  
"Ranma? Hurry.. okay?"  
  
"Yeah,yeah, yeah."   
  
Ranma laid Ryouga down on the table, and starts to head out the   
door. Reluctantly, he looked back at Ryouga to observe him. Ryouga was   
now huddled into a fetal position, sweating noticeably.   
  
*Don't do this man! You're scarring Akane!* Ranma thought. *We'll   
get ya better! You'll see! You'll be up and trying to kill me.. just like   
old times!*  
  
Ranma turned back around and headed out the door, running back   
towards the place where Ryouga had fallen earlier, gingerly jumping over   
the small puddles that were beginning to grow from the falling rain.   
Ranma, now in female form, finally made it to the place and stops abruptly   
from what he saw. There, smiling widely, was Shampoo, sitting on top   
of Ryouga's pack, holding an umbrella as if to keep dry. She appeared to   
be as if waiting for something, or someone. She saw her, and without a   
second blink, she jumped and wrapped her arms around her. Ranma acked, then   
eventually peeled her off, unconsciously she looked around him to see if   
Akane saw them.  
  
"Nihao Airen! Shampoo know you look for her! Can go on   
date after all better? Yes?"  
  
"Listen Shampoo," Ranma interrupts. "I don't have the time to play   
your games. I got to get back to Dr. Tofu's..."  
  
"Shampoo know!"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Ranma looked at Shampoo curiously, but all she did was   
give her a big smile, so proud of herself. Ranma sighed, not wanting to   
deal with the Amazon at the moment. Ranma then walked over to pick up the   
bag. Shampoo jumped off the bag then looked at Ranma quizzically, almost   
expecting him to say something. After trying vainly for a few moments,   
Ranma finally managed to pick the large traveling pack up, only to fall   
over from the weight. After a few more tries, she finally stabilized herself.   
  
~What the hell does he have in here?~   
  
Her thoughts were interrupted as Shampoo walked in front of the   
drenched girl, looking at her eye-to-eye.  
  
"Airen no want to get antidote back?"  
  
"Antidote? What antidote??"  
  
"For Potion great-grandmother put in Akane's Food. Shampoo   
think that wasn't nice of great-grandmother. Akane no deserve to get   
sick.. but what Shampoo can do?"  
  
Suddenly, it all added up for Ranma. That Old Ghoul must have   
spiced Akane's cooking, thinking it was perhaps her lunch, and instead of   
Akane herself eating it, Ryouga was the one who took the fall. At this   
Ranma shuddered. Ryouga was way tougher than Akane, and he looked gravely   
ill with just taking a few bites. The effect of the potion probably   
quadrupled due to the effects of Akane's cooking. And, to think what may   
have happened if Akane.....   
  
"Ranma?"  
  
"When I get my hands at that withered piece of... ::Ranma then   
whipped her head to look at Shampoo, nearly causing herself to lose balance   
again:: What does that monkey carcass want?"  
  
"Well, Son-in-law," a raspy voice scratched their ears. "I see my   
Shampoo has found you first. You know perfectly well what are your   
options, so, what will it be?"  
  
Ranma looked up to see Cologne's large ominous eyes looking down   
at him as she perched from her cane, which was miraculously being balanced   
on top of the fence. Of course, Ranma was in no mood, at the moment, to   
marvel at the balancing skill. Glaring at the Elder with as much ferocity   
as he could muster, he waved a threatening arm at Cologne.  
  
"Give me the antidote you withered up monkey! I WANT IT NOW!"  
  
"Hehe.. temper, temper, Son-in-Law. You'll get it, once you   
marry my Shampoo. Until then, Akane will get weaker and weaker. I   
suggest, if you want to save her..."  
  
"Hmm.. Akane no look sick to Shampoo."  
  
"What?" Cologne tore her eyes away from Ranma, and looked over   
to see Akane approaching the small group, shaking violently to herself.   
Her face pale, and tear-streaked, as if she had been crying recently.   
Ranma, forgetting the old Ghoul for a moment, rushed over to Akane.  
  
"Akane.. what's the matter.. what happened to..."  
  
"He's gone to us...*Sob* Ryouga's gone!"   
  
~~~~~~******~~~~~~  
  
Ryouga blinked his eyes open. It was very bright, as if someone   
had placed all existing lamps in the world right in front of his face.   
But although the light only seemed blinding, it was not. He could see   
perfectly well where he was with complete accuracy. Nowhere. There   
was no door to this room. In fact, he didn't even think there were   
any walls. He got up from the floor, at least, what he thought to be the   
floor, and looked around.  
  
"WHERE THE HELL AM I NOOOOOOOOOWWWW??"  
  
"Not Hell, but pretty darn close."  
  
Ryouga blinked again and noticed someone suddenly standing right   
behind him. A cute girl, to be exact, albeit slightly younger. She   
looked up at him curiously. She had brown hair, done in perfect little   
curls. Big, brown, chocolate eyes, which looked youthful and energetic,   
yet wise and calm at the same time. She was wearing a silk, buttoned up,   
short-sleeved blouse which seemed to highlight her form. Her skirt   
was a light-blue velvet that reached to her knees. Completing the   
fancy, school-like image were white, frilled socks and shiny, black,   
school shoes. What surprised him most, was not the fact that she had   
sneaked upon him without him noticing, but the fact that he had not   
fainted from the sight of her. He stepped back, cautious now.   
  
"Do not worry, Ryouga-san, I shall not hurt you."  
  
"Hu-Huh? H-h-how did you know my name? Who are you? Where Am I?   
Where's Akane?"  
  
"My my, the inquisitive one, aren't we. But, I am here to   
answer any of your questions, so, I shall try my best. First, of all,   
my name is Auxilio, I am your appointed guide, so I've known about you   
a long time, Hibiki-san. You are, in what you humans call purgatory,   
limbo, the place between heaven and hell, Arizona." She laughed at the   
latter. Ryouga, clueless as he was, didn't get the joke. She clears   
her throat and continued. "Akane... well, I would suppose she'd be in   
the mortal realm."  
  
"You mean... I'm..... Dead?"  
  
"Dead? Hell no! Truth be told, you aren't supposed to even be   
here! You're body is still alive, you are just having one of those Out   
of body experiences."  
  
"But How?"  
  
Auxilio pulls out a chart, in the very same manner Akane seemed   
to always pull out her mallet. Meaning: out of thin air. She skimmed   
through several pages, smirking sometimes, then finally with a sad pout.   
Suddenly, she smiles sympathetically, and shook her head.  
  
"WHAT?" Ryouga bellowed, wanting to exit from his clueless-state.  
  
"Says here, that you've been exposed to a concoction of some   
kind. Chinese oriented. Causes the victim to 'experience high fevers,   
and hallucinations, then subjects the recipient into a deep sleep.' But   
something seemed to interfere with the effects." She looked at Ryouga   
questionably, pity in her eyes. "Why were consuming poison? Were you   
attempting suicide?"  
  
"Huh? I.. I.. uh. No!"  
  
"Wait.. there's more! Says here you had sampled some of Tendo   
Akane's cooking. Does she usually poison her food. Was she attempting   
suicide? Hold on." The strange girl looked up, as if trying to find   
something in this colorless place. Then she began to yell at no one   
in particular. "Yo, Mari! Get me Akane Tendo's File. Specifically on   
her Cooking."  
  
Instantly, another clipboard appears in her hand. She skimmed   
through it and blanches. Her eyes begin to twitch ever so slightly.  
  
"Ooo-kay.. scratch out attempt on suicide. That was sheer   
murder!"   
  
"Hey, Don't talk about Akane that way!"  
  
"Forgiveness, please. Just that, the stuff she puts in her   
cooking! Unbelievable. Well, it appears that the potion, mixed with   
that..... *ahem* food... seemed to have made the effects worse, and that's   
why you're here now."  
  
"Well then, take me back! If I wasn't suppose to be here..."  
  
"Whoa! Calm down! We have to do this by procedure, you know.   
Lookie, lookie! Seems you've been granted a Code seventeen."  
  
"A What?"  
  
"Code Seventeen, or, A.K.A "Life-flashing before your eyes"   
routine."   
  
"No Way! My life's been pure Hell! I don't want to go through   
that again! Anyway, the sooner I get back, the sooner I pound Ranma   
for this!"  
  
"Time has no existence here. To what may have seem an hour,   
could be a few years, or a blink of an eye. Depending on what you make   
of it. It won't take long, I promise. Please? I'll make you all better   
when you get back to the mortal plane! I'll be your friend!"  
  
Ryouga found himself quivering. Damn, why'd she have to do   
that cute act? No! He will stay faithful to Akane! Akane's the only   
one for her. He reluctantly turns toward Auxilio, and curses at himself   
for giving in.  
  
Auxilio squealed in delight, and pulled out a pair of chrome  
sun-glasses.  
  
"Here! Put these on."  
  
Ryouga raised a brow at her, giving her a questioning look.  
  
"Would you rather we do it, via slide-show?"  
  
"Uh.. not really."  
  
"Good. Now trust me. Put these on."  
  
Ryouga sighed then took the glasses into his hands, cautiously,   
not expecting anything from it. He placed them on, and instantly, images   
came crashing into his mind, drowning him with memories, followed by emotions.  
  
Images of him just confronting Ranma and Akane. How he felt happy  
when he saw her, then the memories went back to eating Akane's cooking,   
and how angry he felt at Ranma for insulting Akane, and he felt pride   
as he saw Akane smile at him, not at Ranma, but at him. The images   
continued onward. It was as if someone had video-taped his life, and   
pressed the re-wind button. He saw the time when Akane first kissed   
him in his pig form, when he first became cursed, images of Ranma   
defeating him time and time again for bread. His first day at school,   
a rare time when his family had found their way to the house, at the   
same time!. His childhood, how he had felt lost all the time. Now   
the images showed video of a time when he was a baby. He was in a room,  
laying there with someone right beside him. A kin. A close kin. The kin   
was being taken away. He felt a great sense of loss and fear. He didn't   
want the boy to leave. The scene changes and he and the other boy are   
being cradled in a woman's arms, not his mother, but someone else. There   
he felt safe, and loved. Then, there was nothing.  
  
Ryouga pulled the glasses from his eyes, slowly. Tears were   
beginning to form. Mentally, he did not understand it, but the emotions he   
felt were very powerful. Still, he just got a good look at his life, from a different   
perspective. He felt really depressed now. How his life had really went downhill   
since that boy had left him. Who was he?  
  
"Any Questions?"  
  
"Yeah.. who was that boy, when I was a baby. Was he my   
brother? Cousin?"  
  
"More like.. twin."  
  
"Twin?"  
  
"Yeah. Want the long version.. or the short?"  
  
"Short?"  
  
"Can do! Ooo-kay.. Short version: You see, you were the younger   
twin of a young, poor couple. Seeing how they could not afford to keep   
two children, they were forced to give one of you away, no matter how   
much their heart had ached. That, and they'd be really taxed out if they   
had two children, what with overpopulation and all. Yet, they also felt   
that they couldn't give any of you to some complete strangers. They knew   
who would be perfect for the job. The couple, they chose, were some   
close friends of theirs; a rich, married couple. Sadly they could not   
have any children of their own, but they loved each other to carry on.   
In the end they came to an agreement. Since the eldest was the true   
heir, he would stay with the original family, while you were given to   
the other couple. Of course in exchange for provisions and a home.   
  
For some time, the six of you were like one big family. Each had   
taken turns caring for the two of you. Then one day, your adoptive   
parents had finished building your real parents a home in Southern   
Japan, near Juuban, I think. This meant the family had to separate.   
It's not like they wanted to, but each had a life to live. They had   
said their good-byes, and had promised each other to visit as much as   
they can. Sadly, that was the last your adoptive family had heard of   
them.   
  
"But.. why was I not told of this?"  
  
"Because your parents probably thought the others dead, and did   
not want to burden you. I'm sorry. I know, I'm not a good   
story-teller, but I tell it how it is!"  
  
"Is he.... you know?"  
  
"Huh? No. You would have felt it. Seems you two share a   
strong bond."  
  
"Who is he?"  
  
"You sure you want to know? From your files, you two haven't   
had the greatest of relationships"  
  
"You mean, I already know him? TELL ME!"  
  
"Calm down. Don't want to get a heart-attack you know. But   
then again.. it'll save the trip of going back to the mortal plane."  
  
"Will you quit with the jokes already? Who is my brother."  
  
"Yeah yeah! But once I tell you, you have to go back. It's just a little   
warning, it'll be very sudden."  
  
"Will I.. will I remember this?"  
  
"Well, only the most important pieces. Brace yourself. "  
  
Auxilio takes a final look at Ryouga, memorizing him. She had   
come to like him. What a shame he had to leave. She closed her eyes   
and breaths in deeply.  
  
"His name is.... Ranma Saotome."  
  
  
~~~~~~******~~~~~~  
  
Ranma blinks at the news. It can't be.. NO! He won't let it   
happen!   
  
"Lost boy take potion?! But what Akane mean he gone? Not should   
be that way!"   
  
All eyes then turned to Cologne, who was eyes-wide in shock. (Okay.. her   
eyes are always wide.. but you get the drift.) The potion was only to   
make the recipient look ill, she mused, no serious damages were to ever occur.   
  
With the quickness of a flash, she was gone, hopping   
from rooftop to rooftop, quickly heading toward Dr. Tofu's clinic. Wondering   
to herself whether the potion a failure? That couldn't be it. 300 years of   
Amazon experience left no room for miscalculations. Specific care was taken   
so that nothing will go wrong. Then, it hit her. The stuff she had poured   
the powder in! She shook her head and sighed in resignation. For the   
life of all of them, Akane should really get some cooking lessons.   
  
She entered the clinic through an unpatched hole on the roof.   
The young Doctor must not have had time to call the carpenters to fix   
it. She snuck into one of the rooms, and found Ryouga covered in   
several blankets. He looked like a mess: Shivering yet sweating,   
feverish, yet blue, shaking, yet calm. She pulled out a small bottle   
from her sleeve and shook it. With one hand, she peeled open Ryouga's   
dry lips, and with the other she poured several drops of the antidote.   
She gave a wrinkled smile as his shivering immediately stops.   
  
"Do not interfere with me and son-in-law again, got it boy?"  
  
"HEY OLD GHOUL! Get away from him!"  
  
Cologne turned and saw Ranma glaring at her from the doorway.   
He was really worked up. His ki seemed to illuminate the room where   
the florescent lights couldn't. Sensing that this was no place for fighting,   
she smiled and tossed the bottle at Ranma, who catches it instantly,   
blinking in afterthought.  
  
"I have no quarrels with the boy. He'll awaken in a short   
while."  
  
And with that, she exited out the open window, summoning Shampoo to   
follow her. Ranma follows their exit with his eyes, glaring daggers at the two,   
then he turned and looked back at Ryouga. Dr. Tofu had opted to review   
his patient. After completing his check-up, he turned to the others.  
  
"His pulse is returning back to normal, and his fever has   
broken." He then begins to poke Ryouga in certain pressure points, to   
speed up the recovery.   
  
"Uh, Akane. I thought you said he was.. you know.. gone?!"   
  
"I.. just thought. I didn't find any pulse, he wasn't   
responding. Not even when Dr. Tofu did some reflex exercises.."   
  
"There was a pulse, Akane, only very faint. He seems to be recovering   
in an alarming rate, I wouldn't be surprised if he.."  
  
"Uhhgh... Auxilio?"  
  
"Auxilio? What the hell is that? Yo, man, you okay?"  
  
Ryouga blinked his eyes open, damn it! Now the Bright-lights   
were back! This time it hurt his head like hell. Squeezing his eyes   
shut, he groaned in disapproval. He felt a little jolt, and arms wrapped   
around him?  
  
"Oh Ryouga, we were so worried!"  
  
"A..Akane? Where am I?"  
  
"You're at Dr. Tofu's. Hey man, gave us all quite a scare."  
  
Ryouga blinked at Akane, who had let go a bit reluctantly he'd   
say. She was wiping her tears softly, smiling at him. He then looked at   
Ranma, suddenly remembering his conversation with Auxilio. Him? It's   
got to be a joke! Probably part of the effects of the potion. But   
then.. CUT IT OUT! He wasn't his brother! He was the cause of all his   
problems. The Lunch was meant for Ranma! He sat up and clutched his   
head. Dr. Tofu begins to approach him, but Ryouga just held his hand   
out in protest.  
  
"I'm fine, okay."  
  
Ryouga hops off the table. Big Mistake. He knees instantly   
weakened, and he collapsed onto the ground. Ranma just shook his head. He   
walks over and pulled him up.  
  
"Such a stubborn, pig-headed jerk!"  
  
"Shut up Ranma! I can still beat you any day!"  
  
"Yeah, whatever."  
  
"Ranma? Let's take him back to the dojo. If that's okay, is it   
Dr. Tofu?"  
  
"Just make sure he gets plenty of food and rest."  
  
"Thanks Doc." Ranma pulled up Ryouga's arm one more time, and   
began to wrap it around his shoulders for support. Ryouga growled at this   
and whipped it off, causing him to loose his balance momentarily,   
but was then able to stabilize himself.   
  
"I can take care of myself!"   
  
Ryouga attempted to stand a second time, this time with success!  
He stoop up straight then wobbled his way over to where Ranma had put   
down his sack, and attempted to pull it up, with no results. He took   
in a deep breath and attempts to pick up his sack, this time, with ease.   
Ranma, meanwhile, twitched at how easily Ryouga picked up his sack.   
  
~I guess what doesn't kill him, will make him stronger, huh?   
And that stuff almost killed him!~  
  
Ryouga then staggered over to Dr. Tofu. He placed down his sack and   
began to rummage through his stuff.  
  
"What are you doing, Ryouga?" Akane walks over to where he was,   
and looks down at him with curiosity.  
  
"I.. uh.. well.. uh.." Not being able to speak coherently while   
entranced by her brown eyes, Ryouga turns away and looks at Dr. Tofu. "How   
much do I owe you, Tofu-sama?"  
  
"Oh Ryouga, don't worry about it. Dr. Tofu, put it on our   
tab."  
  
"Bu..But Akane!"  
  
"Ryouga, that potion was meant for me. It's the least I can   
do. Come, I'll lead you back to the Dojo."   
  
Ryouga felt like he was in Heaven. None of that purgatory or   
Arizonan stuff.. whatever that was. Just to see Akane smile at him,   
the lengths he would go through... He nodded at her, feeling slightly   
weak at the knees again, but this time not of the potion. They both   
say their thanks to the Doctor, and depart out the door.   
  
Ranma snorted. Left behind, forgotten. He sighed. He was about   
to follow them when he see's a piece of paper on the ground. More like   
a photo. He picked it up and examines it. It was a picture of a couple and a   
baby, plus an Aunt of some sort. Wait. That "Aunt" looked familiar.   
He looked at the picture closely and blanches.  
  
"M-m-mom?"  
  
~~~~~~******~~~~~~  
  
Hope y'all like this revised version. Hope it makes much more sense than   
the last. Hope you leave some comments and such. Hope I finish with the   
next chapter revisions soon.   
  
~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ja ne! (Stop this Crazy thing!)  
Evil Kasumi  
*~"She's really a very sweet girl. She's just a violent maniac!"~*  
  
"If Everyone jumped off a cliff, I'd wait till I was last in line.   
Then, the fall won't be so steep and so hard."- me  
  
http://members.nbci.com/GodsEvilSis  
**COR's Keeper of the Heituenniichuan** 


	2. Revelation and Resignation

LizMUN's notes: Like mentioned before, this fic was written to show how   
truly insane I be, Muahahaha! ::gets whacked:: Anywhoo's, all characters   
are creations of Takahashi-sensei! We are not worthy of your greatness!   
Anywhoo's, This fic was made for entertainment purposes only. Someone   
already threw away the dot-matrix printer.. so if you're to sue me, now   
all you'll get is a broken Tamagotchi.  
  
C&C is greatly appreciated, even if you think I should jump into Spring   
of drowned Purple Dinosaur for writing this fic.  
  
Enjoy!  
Rated Y-16 because of language. I'm such a potty mouth!  
  
======================================================================  
  
Sibling Rivalry  
Part 2  
  
The night was setting in Nerima, and the clouds had come and   
gone, leaving a crisp, chilly, clear night at it's wake. Ranma had   
eventually returned from Dr. Tofu's and everything went back to   
routine: Ranma and Akane would argue, Ranma stuffed his face during dinner,   
Akane commented on his lack of dinner skills, Ranma retaliated, Ranma was   
punted into the sky, Nabiki mumbled on something like expenses, Soun   
sobbed because he was loosing against Genma, Genma began to sweat, hoping Soun   
wouldn't notice some of his pieces were missing. Kasumi smiled and cleared  
up the table. All in all.. it was a typical evening.   
  
Ryouga spread out his sleeping bag on the dojo floor. Akane   
had insisted that he'd sleep with Ranma and Genma in the guest   
room, but he had declined. One, they would probably fight, and not get any   
rest, second; he just didn't want to face Ranma now. Was he really his   
brother? Or was it just a hallucination? He hoped to the gods that it   
was the latter, but fate seemingly had a twisted sense of humor, so he   
was ready to be disapointed.  
  
"Ryouga. We gotta talk!"  
  
Ryouga looked up and saw Ranma leaning casually against the   
entrance. Ryouga sighed and continued his task.  
  
"As much as I'd like fight you Ranma, It can wait till   
tomorrow."  
  
"No it can't. And I don't want to fight, I just want to know   
what were you doing with this?" Ranma flung something at Ryouga, who   
nimbly caught it. Ryouga looked at it and blinked. It was the picture he   
had in his pack: The one with his parents, holding him when he was just   
a baby. Along with his family were some others in the picture. Perhaps   
they were friends of the family, he supposed. In their arms they held their   
baby. Ryouga clutched the picture possessively and glared at Ranma.  
  
"Where did you get this?"  
  
"You dropped it at the clinic. Now, I want to know where did   
YOU get it?"  
  
"It's none of your business!"  
  
"Like Hell it is! That's MY mom, and the old man in that   
picture! Why do you have a picture of MY folks?"  
  
Ryouga looked as if he was going to hurl. Those were Ranma's   
parents? Could Auxilio be telling the truth. No! This was all just some   
sort of coincidence. Damnit! It was too sickeningly twisted to be a   
coincidence. Ryouga looked back at Ranma, who was now more confused   
than angry.   
  
"Hmph.. wouldn't you like to know. So.. those are your folks?"  
  
"What's with you, man? You look like you've seen a ghost!"  
  
"Like I said, This can wait till tomorrow." Ryouga tucked   
himself into his sleeping bag and fell instantly to sleep. Ranma felt   
like kicking him awake, but the guy had been half-dead already earlier.  
  
"Okay Ryouga, tomorrow. But you're going to tell me even if I   
have ta beat it out of you."  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Geeze Old man! You've been putting too much weight!"   
  
*SPLASH!*  
  
"Growlf?"  
  
"HEY NO FAIR! PUT ME DOWN!"  
  
*SPLASH*   
  
"UGH!! This was my best shirt!"  
  
*Whack*   
  
"Grarrll"  
  
*Punt* *Wham*  
  
"What do you mean I'm acting like a girl! I'll show you!"  
  
*Smash* *Crack* *Thud*  
  
"Ranma! Dinner's is Ready!"  
  
"Serves you right, Pop! Huh? Okay Kasumi! Thanks!"  
  
"Ranma?"  
  
"What, Akane?"  
  
"Where's Ryouga?"  
  
"Ryouga? Oh yeah! Forgot about the moron!"  
  
*Wham*  
  
"Honestly, Ranma!"  
  
Ranma crawled his way out from under the huge mallet Akane had   
so generously implanted onto his head. He mumbled a few curses as he   
made his way towards the Dojo. A whole day had passed since that incident   
with Ryouga. Last he left the guy, Ryouga was deep asleep. Dr. Tofu had   
said that it was normal, given his circumstance. Yeah, his circumstance   
with his near-death experience. He just hoped that the moron hadn't already   
awaken and was wandering off while they were at school. He slid the door   
open and entered.   
  
"Yo, Ryouga! You awake?" Ranma looked around the room. The   
sleeping bag that had been set out last night was now neatly wrapped, tied,   
and placed in a corner along with the rest of Ryouga's stuff. The boy,   
in question was sitting crossed-legged against the wall on the   
opposite end of the room. He was looking down at something, a small   
sheet of paper. Before Ranma could sneak up to see what it was, Ryouga   
quickly tucked it into pocket.  
  
"Okay Ryouga.. spill it!"  
  
Ryouga looked at Ranma briefly, then turned away and sighed.   
  
~~~~  
  
"What's taking them so long?"  
  
"Well, I don't hear any fighting.." Nabiki raised a brow.   
Things were quiet enough to worry.  
  
"Oh my, I hope they don't take too long, their dinners are   
getting cold."  
  
"It's getting late! I'll go get... Ranma?"   
  
Ranma stood at the door way briefly then stomped over towards   
Genma, who was still in his panda form. He grabed him by the fur and   
picked him up to eye level.  
  
"Hey pop, What's this I hear about a deal you and Mom made   
about a house in Juuban?"  
  
Genma's eyes went wide and a huge sweat-drop formed on the back of   
his head. He pulled out a sign.  
  
~"I have no idea what you're talking about! I never made a deal   
with Yuria and Kenshito Hibiki!(1) You got the wrong guy!"~  
  
"Hibiki?" Akane blinked.   
  
Nabiki smirked. This could get interesting.  
  
"Saotome? What is the meaning of this?" questioned Soun.  
  
Ranma grabbed a kettle and poured it on Genma, who turned back into   
his old self, clothes and all. Genma closed his eyes, crossing his arms   
and legs as if in contemplation.  
  
"Okay Pop! Spit it!"  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence for a while, then Genma   
looked up, his eyes having a far-away look.  
  
"Ranma, what do you remember when you were a baby?"  
  
"What's that gotta do with anything?"  
  
"Just answer the question."  
  
"Nuthin.. I guess."  
  
"Hmm.."  
  
"Should I?"  
  
"You do not remember anything? Anyone?"  
  
"Saotome, what are you implying?" questioned Soun again,   
not wanting to stay in the dark about the conversation... and getting   
quite irritated at the process.  
  
"I suppose you would have found out sooner or later, boy.   
*takes in a deep breath.* It was just after you had just been born,   
Ranma, but, the thing is, you were not an only child!"  
  
"WHAT?!"   
  
"What the...? Then what was all that crap you told me when I   
asked ya if you had any other kids." Ranma countered.  
  
"You only asked if I had any illegitimate children, boy.. now   
shut up and listen! You were a twin, the eldest of two boys. Ah! How we were   
blessed to have two children to carry on the Saotome School of Martial   
Arts. At least, we had hoped for it to be that way. But, back then,   
times were rough. We hardly had enough to feed ourselves, and now with   
two extras, we could not..." *Smack*  
  
"HEY! Who you calling 'extra'?"  
  
"Let me finish, boy! *ahem* We were in a peril. Our only option   
was to give up one of you. You did not want to hear the other option.   
You, being the eldest, had to stay, for it was to be you that was to   
carry on the Saotome school."  
  
"Oh my!"  
  
"Took the words right out of my mouth, sis." Nabiki smirked.  
  
"But what happened to your other son?" Akane was in near tears   
at such a sad story.  
  
"That is where the Hibiki's come into play. They were friends   
of Nodoka. Yuria was an old high-school friend, who had married into a   
rich family, but alas, she could not bear a child. We all talked it   
over, and agreed to let the Hibiki's adopt "Rykia," as we had named   
him, in exchange for a home and provisions."  
  
Ranma just clenched his eyes, a little nerve bulging on his forehead.  
  
"So you're telling me, is that you sold one of your children?"   
  
"You're surprised Ranma? He's done it to you before, only back   
then he got paid in food. I think a house was a good deal."  
  
"Nabiki!" Akane glared at her sister, then looked back at Ranma,   
who looked as if he was about to kill his father.  
  
"We knew Rykia was going to be well taken care of, that was why   
the deal was made. We wouldn't give him to just anyone!"  
  
"Then what about the House? Is it the same house Mom lives in now?   
Why haven't we checked up on them! Why is this the first time I've heard   
about this!?"  
  
"The house.. well.. uh.. wisoet."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We.. sold it."  
  
At this everyone, except Genma and Kasumi, face faulted. Ranma   
staggered up from the floor and grabbed the scruff of Genma's gi.  
  
"YOU SOLD IT!?"  
  
"The house was too big for us to care for it. Plus we needed   
the extra money. And after doing so, we couldn't bear to show our faces   
to the Hibiki's."  
  
"I wonder why." Akane was no longer was feeling sympathy for   
Genma.   
  
"But one day we couldn't stand it so we came for a visit.   
When we arrived at their home, they were gone. It was as if they up and   
left with no note, nothing. We waited at their house for a week, but   
they did not show. We assumed they disappeared, or moved away."  
  
"Or.. they got lost." Ranma realized.  
  
"Lost? Hey! So.. what you're saying is... Rykia.. is Ryouga?"  
  
"Well, they do both look alike." Nabiki smirked. Gears   
already working overtime, coming up with plans to make this a very   
profitable experience."  
  
"I never thought anything of it. Hibiki is a common name, you   
know." Genma retorted in his own defense.  
  
"Poor Ryouga! Where is he, anyway?"  
  
Ranma got up from his seat and ran over to the dojo. Before   
entering, he stopped briefly, a million things were going in his   
mind. What will he say to him when he saw him? What would he do? Well,   
there was no time to think of that now. Pushing those thoughts aside,   
he took a deep breath and entered the dojo.  
  
"Ryouga?"  
  
The dojo was empty. No bags, nothing.   
  
"Oh no. He's not getting away that easily!" Ranma ran out of   
dojo and hopped over the wall, looking franticly for any trace of Ryouga.  
  
~~~~  
"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to go to look   
for Ryouga as well!"   
  
Akane quickly got up from the table and walked out toward the   
dojo. Upon reaching her destination, she leaned against the outer wall   
and sighed. Actually, she had just wanted to obtain some peace in order   
to sort the mumbo-jumbo that was clashing within her head. Ryouga and   
Ranma... BROTHERS?! Could it be? All this time and they did not know.   
Poor Ryouga, she thought. She sighed, Rolling her eyes, she scoffed   
briefly, remembering when Ranma had posed as Ryouga's sister, Yoiko.   
When his so-called 'sister' got lost, she remembered how heartbroken   
Ryouga was for having lost her. Of course Akane had suspected early   
on that Ranma was the one that had been posing as Ryouga's sister,   
but he was so damn sure! Almost desperate! That jerk Ranma deserved   
more than what he got after being found out. Playing with Ryouga's   
emotions like that! The nerve of him!   
  
But now... now it was no longer pretend. Ranma. She hated to   
admit but she felt a little sympathy for him. A little, got it? Still,   
all of Ranma's life was spent on training. His only childhood friend   
that he distinctly remembered was Ukyou. But they were just friends,   
and they mostly spent their time sparring for an okonomiyaki. Technically,   
both Ranma and Ryouga had been lonely all their lives, and now they'll...  
  
Suddenly a noise broke her from her thoughts. She looked up.  
  
"R-R-Ranma? .......Ryouga??"  
  
She walked over behind the dojo cautiously. Nothing. She was about   
to turn back when she saw something small and dark begin to emerge from a   
bucket. Akane gulped. Its beady black eyes, reflecting from the   
moonlight, glowed sharply as it looked over at Akane.  
  
*Bwee?*  
  
"P-Chan!" Akane let out a huge sigh of relief, then giggled,   
chiding herself for having gotten so worked up over nothing! She picked   
up her pet pig and looked at it, playfully admonishing it for having   
startled her.  
  
"Oh P-Chan, you naughty piggy! Where have you been? Awww! Look   
at you! You're soaked! C'mon! Let's give you a nice warm bath or you'll   
yourself a death from cold!"  
  
The pig's eyes widen rapidly at this, then began to struggle free of   
Akane's vice grip.  
  
*BWEE! BUKII! BWEKII*  
  
"P-CHAN! What's the matter with you?"  
  
"So there you are!"  
  
Akane turned around to see a drenched Ranma-chan, arms folded,   
looking back at the two.   
  
"What happened to you?" Akane asked.  
  
"Someone decided to throw out their dish-water. Of course I just  
happened to be at the right place, at the right time." Ranma rolled his eyes.  
  
"So? Where's Ryouga? Did you find him?"  
  
"Uhm.. he'll be back. He always does. In the meantime, I'm   
going to take a bath." Ranma held out his hand, palm up. Akane looked   
at it, and just blinked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I.. uh.. well.. you don't want him to catch a cold too!" Ranma   
pointed at P-chan, who was casually looking away.  
  
"Nah-uh, Ranma! You always end up teasing him, or hitting my   
poor P-Chan! I can do it perfectly fine by myself!"  
  
At this Ryouga's and Ranma's eyes went wide.  
  
"B-but..Aw C'mon Akane! Geeze! I've no time for this."  
  
Before Akane could respond, Ranma snatched P-chan from her   
grasp and sprinted into the house.   
  
"RANMA!! OOooo! Honestly!"  
  
~~~  
  
Ryouga-kun and Ranma-kun sat there, opposite ends of the   
steaming tub, not looking at each other. A disturbingly uncomfortable   
silence passed between the two.   
  
"Okay...When?"  
  
Ryouga looked up and blinked. He looked at Ranma, who was   
crossing his arms and looking down at the water.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"When? When did you know that... "  
  
"..... Yesterday."  
  
"Yesterday? How?"  
  
"I'd rather not talk about it."  
  
"Don't give me that crap, Ryouga! You owe me an explanation!"  
  
"I don't owe you anything, Ranma!"  
  
Again the silence came. Disturbed by a few noisy *Plunk's* as   
drops of condensed water fell from the tile roof onto the tile floor.  
  
It continued liked this for a few more moment until Ranma   
couldn't stand the silence anymore.  
  
"C'mon Ryouga! I want to know who told you!"  
  
"*Scoff* You wouldn't believe me, anyway." Ryoga stated, looking   
away from his rival.  
  
"Try me!"  
  
~~~  
  
*Pliku.. pliku*   
  
Ranma wrinkled up his nose, blinking at what Ryouga had just told   
him. The guy was right.. he didn't believe him.  
  
"That has got to be.. the lamest thing I've ever heard! Code   
17?"  
"Grrrr.. You calling me a liar?"  
  
"You want me to actually believe you? It could've been   
after-effects of that old ghouls' potion, or just Akane's cooking by   
itself!"  
  
*Pop..pop* "Raaannn-maaaa!" Ryouga raised his fist up to strike   
at Ranma for insulting Akane's cooking again. Ranma went into   
defensive form, which was kind of odd looking as he was still chest-deep   
in water. Ryouga's fist was pulled up like an archer drawing up his   
bow. But the arrow was never released. Ryouga shakingly let down his   
fist and he looked away from Ranma. Sighing in resignation, he steps out   
from the tub. Ranma looked at him, blinking.  
  
"Believe what you want Ranma, but you heard it from yo.. the  
old man. This is not easy for me too. *hmph* You think I like the idea   
of having you as a brother? Ranma, ever since I met you, my life has   
been a living hell! There isn't a day that goes by that I wish I never   
met you! And now this? Believe what you want, Ranma. As for me.. as   
much as I WANT to, I can't deny this, which is why... *sighs* Which is   
why, I'm calling it all off."  
  
Ranma backed up at this, hands in that in that Takahashi-"Oh   
Shit!"-pose.   
  
"W-w-what? You're what?"  
  
Ryouga, now fully dressed, looked back at Ranma and scowled.  
  
"Goodbye, Ranma." And with that, Ryouga quickly exited the bathroom   
through the door... well, window actually... leaving behind a startled   
Ranma.  
  
"....wha... HEY! RYOUGA! WAIT!"  
  
Ranma quickly hopped out of the tub, quickly putting on his   
black pants and wrapping a towel around his neck. He followed Ryouga's   
trail. (The small crater on the ground from where he landed, and the   
new hole in the wall leading to the street.) Ranma looked left, then   
right, then up on the rooftops. Nothing. Realizing Ryouga's now long   
lost, he growls.  
  
"Ryouga, you JERK!"  
  
~~~  
  
It was near midnight and Ranma was still lying awake in his   
futon. His mind repassing over what Ryouga said.  
  
*~"...Ranma, ever since I met you, my life has been a living   
hell! There isn't a day that goes by that I wish I never met you!..."~*  
  
Ranma sighed. He couldn't understand why he was so worked up   
about it. Ryouga had said that to him countless times before, why should   
now be any different?   
  
~Maybe because now, it's a whole different ball game. Ryouga is   
your brother! Not just your rival. Brother! And now you have a brother   
who hates you! You finally have a brother, and he HATES you!~  
  
Ranma growled, and shook his head, trying to knock out that   
voice from his thoughts. He looked back to the familiar ceiling once   
more. Moments pass quietly. Then, the rest of their conversation   
entered his mind.  
  
*~"...Believe what you want, Ranma. As for me... as much as I   
WANT to, I can't deny this, which is why... *sighs* Which is why, I'm   
calling it all off."~*  
  
"So why? Why the fucking hell, after all this, is he's just   
calling it off?"  
  
Suddenly, a new voice answered, unlike his other voice, which   
sounded more like him, this one sounded a bit like his cursed form.  
  
~He's calling it off, because you are his family! Kin. Blood.   
To kill you, is to kill his own self. He doesn't hate you, he needs   
you. Find him Ranma!~  
  
Ranma shook his head again. Not clear his mind, but to pitty   
himself. This was one mess he just couldn't get out of, no matter how hard   
he'll try.  
  
~~~  
  
Ryouga had been walking non-stop all night. He never looked up   
to see where he was. Of course, this caused him to receive a few   
goose-eggs thanks to random poles or trees. He sighed. How easy it was   
for Ranma to deny all this. Even after hearing it from himself, and   
Genma, he was still denying the truth. Typical. That jerk was to   
thick-headed for anything. Just look at the way how he treated Akane!   
He should be bowing before the gods to have such a fiancée such as her.   
*Sighs*   
  
Ryouga looks up finally, and found himself in a clearing. It   
was a beautiful place. There was a little lake nearby, surrounded by   
willows and covered in lily pads. Nearby was a fallen log. Odd how it   
resembled more like a bench. He shrugged. He looks around some more.   
He kind of noticed that there was not as much trees around as expected,   
but he figured it was the mist, which had now rolled in, and was now   
surrounding the clearing. The mist seemed to be blocking any view   
further into the forest. The ground itself was soft and wet because   
of the fog. Not wanting to soak himself laying in the grass, he hopped   
onto a tree branch, and laid his back against the trunk.   
  
He had forgotten his pack back at the dojo, and was mentally   
kicking himself for running out so unexpectedly, but he had no choice.   
If Ranma wasn't going to accept the truth, that was fine with him. He   
didn't need him. He's lived just fine being an only child. He was used   
to it. He has already got a family, and to hell with the Saotomes.   
After all, they didn't want him. Since the moment he was born, they   
spurned him. They hated him. Why else would they give him away. For   
what, some food? Damnit! They actually gave their son away! They   
didn't want him. His real parents.. didn't... want him.   
  
Ryouga harshly wiped the tears coming from his eyes and clenched   
his fists. Already he was feeling his depression boiling up. Damn, Damn,   
DAMN! This is no time to feel self-pity. But it just wasn't fair! Ranma   
wasn't the one given up like a sack of rice! If he ever got back to the   
Tendo Dojo, he was going to give Ranma one hell of a..... Damn. He   
forgot. He called it off. Why the hell did he call it off? Even he   
didn't know. Ryouga yawned involuntarily, feeling the sleep coming to   
overtake him. He yawned again. Tomorrow, he would think about it   
some more. He crossed his arms across his chest and closes his eyes.   
Falling into a deep sleep.  
  
Two minutes later, a policeman walked across the clearing,   
whistling softly to himself. Night-shifts in Nerima weren't so bad.   
After all, the Martial-artists of this town usually chose daytime to   
cause their mayhem. As he strolled across the park, he failed to   
notice one of the martial artists sleeping soundly on top of a   
tree-branch. Well, whether he actually failed to see him or he know   
better than to wake him up, only he knew.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~  
(1): (hehe.. do any of you "Fist of the North-Star" people recognize   
these names? I thought so!) Dun worry.. they had nothing to do with the   
story.. (that is unless you WANT them to) I just liked the names.   
  
and as always:  
C&C Wanted:  
Please apply within.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ja ne! (Stop this Crazy thing!)  
Evil Kasumi  
*~"She's really a very sweet girl. She's just a violent maniac!"~*  
  
"If Everyone jumped off a cliff, I'd wait till I was last in line.   
Then, the fall won't be so steep and so hard."- me  
  
http://members.nbci.com/GodsEvilSis  
**COR's Keeper of the Heituenniichuan** 


	3. What Dreams may come...

Sibling Rivalry  
  
What Dreams May Come...  
  
Ranma blinked. It would have been nice to say that he was   
blinking from the brightness of the room, for it was indeed full of light.   
But, that was not the case here. No, he was blinking in confusion.   
Where was he? Just a few seconds ago, he was recieving a Gold Medal in   
the Olympics for Martial Arts! He had it in the bag. Those other   
contenders were no match for him.   
  
Ranma sighed. What was so special about this place? There were no doors,   
no walls... NO FLOOR! Wait! Someone was comming. It's a girl. Oh man, he   
hoped it wasn't another fiancée. Well, it wouldn't be a total loss, he  
thought, she was pretty cute, especially with that school-like uniform.   
Still, Ranma reflexivly cringed, half-expecting Akane to pop out   
of nowhere and wack him with her mallet for his thoughts. But nothing   
happened. Safe from Akane's mallet? He must have been dreaming...  
  
"Yes, Ranma, you are dreaming."  
  
Ranma blinked again, startled from his thoughts.  
  
"ERK... Hey wait a minute! How'dya know my name? Who are you?"  
  
*Giggle* "My, my. You living are just bursting with questions   
aren't you! I love it! My appologies for not introducing myself right   
away. I am Auxillio. I know your name... well... because this is your   
dream! It'd be awfully rude if one intrudes a dream, and not know who's   
dream you're intruding."  
  
"Auxillio? You're like, Ryouga's guardian Angel, aren't ya?"  
  
Auxillio blinked, then chuckled amusingly.  
  
"Angel? Me? A Guardian Angel? I.. uh.. I guess you can say   
that. Guardian angel... Heh! I like that."  
  
Ranma just rolled his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, whatever. So why are haunting me, and not Ryouga."  
  
Auxillio's mood rapidly changed from flattered to annoyed.   
She turned towards Ranma, giving a small pout yet with a furious glare.  
  
"I'm not haunting anyone! Ay! I've no time for common   
chit-chat! I came here to express my disapointment in you, Ranma   
Saotome!"  
  
"What'dai do?"  
  
"What did you do? You were given a perfectly good opportunity   
to start anew, with your new brother, and you threw it away! Hell, I   
even called the whole stupid quarel off, and still you turned your back   
on the whole thing!"  
  
Ranma pounded his fist onto his palm and pointed at Auxillio,   
as if having guessed a murder mystery culprit.  
  
"HAH! I knew it! I knew Ryouga wouldn't just call the whole   
thing off like that! He's too pig-headed to give up on anything!"  
  
"Hai! And believe me when I tell you this, but making him call   
it off was no easy matter!" Auxillio sighed tiredly, and sat down, smoothing   
out her skirt in the process. "That boy's set on causing you some severe   
bodily harm!"  
  
"Feh, I can take him!" Ranma smirked and crossed his arms behind his   
head. He looked up, observing the place slightly. His smirk fades slightly   
as thoughts began to roam his mind. "Still, I, for one, would rather have   
the guy out to kill me than being nice to me! Least it's something I'm already   
used to!"  
  
Auxillio nearly facefaulted at this. She rose a brow at Ranma, looking at   
him as if he were sprouting an arm in the middle of his chest.   
  
"What? You are an odd boy. But, I don't think that is the reason, is   
it? There's something else there." She demonstrated, poking Ranma between the   
eyes. "Yes.. I see it.. You're afraid of something!"  
  
Ranma just steped back defensivly and glared at the so-called celestial.  
  
"I aint afraid of nothing!"  
  
Auxillio crossed her arms and scoffed slightly at Ranma. She gave   
him a look most mothers across the world used when they knew their children   
were lying to them.   
  
Feeling the urge to show the arrogant boy to learn some respect, Auxillio  
closed her eyes and began to chant something under her breath. Within the   
middle of her spell, a soft purring began to sound within the room. Ranma's   
eyes suddenly went wide, a spark of fear flashing within the blue orbs. He   
began to move his head about, looking for the source of the sound. Suddenly,   
the room turned pitch black. In turn this startled Ranma a little more than   
he was already. The light gradually returned, and Ranma found himself in some   
sort of under-ground room. There was something about the room that felt so   
frighteningly familiar.  
A movement beside several boxes caught his attention and he stiffened   
in fear. Suddenly he remembered where he was. He was now back in that cursed   
room below his old home, the very same room that has haunted his dreams   
countless times. The very room, where he had learned the cursed "Cat-fist".   
  
Ranma stood there trembling as the cats emerged from their   
hiding places and surrounded him. He instantly jerked his foot away, when   
a kitten had come across it to show it's affection.  
  
"He was just being nice, Ranma!"  
  
Ranma looks about and saw Auxillio hovering above the room.   
Her face bore an expression of tranquility. She gave the frighened   
Ranma a comforting smile, but it didn't help his mood much. Ranma looked   
at her pleadingly, then yelped when another kitten rubs itself against the   
same leg. Auxillio sighed and closed her eyes again. The room faded   
into a grey mist, and they found themselves once again in the bright room.   
Ranma, having seen that the cats have disapeared, along with the room,   
dropped to the ground and huddled against his knees, trembling from the   
shock. Auxilio decended from the air and walked towards Ranma, extending   
her hand, to which Ranma instantly cringed away from. She stepped closer   
and gently placed her hand upon Ranma's shoulder, causing his trembling   
to stop.   
  
"If there be one thing that I am grateful for, is that Ryouga was   
not raised the same way your Father raised you!" She sighed sypatheticly.  
  
After comming out from the shock, Ranma stood up rapidly and   
glared at Auxillio, baring his teeth at her.  
  
"What kind of Angel are you? What's the big idea torturing me   
like that!"  
  
"The cat thing? Well, I never said I was an Angel. I'm just a   
figment of your imagination!" she smilled innocently. " But all the same,   
I appolgize for my actions. Rayos! I seem to have drifted off from my   
primary intention!"  
  
"Your what?" Ranma blinked, his anger fully giving away to   
confusion again.  
  
"The reason to why I decided to invade your thoughts in the   
first place! I've come to caution you about what is to come. It seems   
the spiritual link you and Ryouga share, is weakening."  
  
"The what?" Ranma asked, confused etched on his face like stone.  
  
*Sigh* "The spiritual link! It is an invisable bond which most   
twins and or siblings share from thier births up till their deaths.   
I'm surprised you never figured it out! I mean, has it ever occured to   
you as to why Ryouga, dispite his lack of direction, would always find   
his way back your way? Whether it was to the Tendo Dojo, the   
High-school, the Tunnel of Lost Love, or even... Jusenkyo... POOF!   
There he was?"  
  
"Well... now that you mentioned it.. I just figured it was was   
just coincidence, I mean, Japan is a small country."  
  
"Coincidence? Once or twice, yeah.. but hundreds? Japan is   
small, but not small enough for even the likes of Ryouga, to bump into   
you once every often! Even I'd get skeptical at this point! But alas, I   
cannot continue this conversation much further. My time here is up."  
  
"Wait! What will happen if the link.. you know.. disapears?"  
  
"Well, then consider his odds of ever seeing you again, grow   
greater! One day, he'd probably think of using a boat to cross to   
another small island, and then find himself in Mexico! Not that it's   
a bad place. It just depends where you go. Anyway, after that, kiss   
your chances of ever seeing him again, good bye! But hey, what's it   
too you? I know what you must be thinking; You'd finally be rid of him!   
Well, if you can live with yourself afterward, knowing you chased your   
only brother away... well, to each his own, I suppose. Ciao!"  
  
"Hey! That wasn't what I was thinking!"  
  
"Ah-huh, if you say so. OH! If, by chance the Fates are feeling   
generous and you two ever cross paths again, tell him I said Hi,   
alright Ranma?... Ranma?"  
  
"YOU DUMMY, WAKE UP!"  
  
Ranma's eyes snaped open, startled from his slumber. He looked   
around himself, again in confusion. He wasn't in the bright room anymore,   
but rather the guest quarters at the Tendos. Auxillio, herself, was no   
where to be seen, and in her place he saw Akane sitting beside his head.   
The sun began to rise above the mist, giving a sense of an unearthy   
halo surrounding the girl. It was enough to make him stare at her   
slightly, banishing all thoughts of her being uncute for the moment.   
  
"Aw geeze Akane! It's too early! What's your hurry anyway!   
There's no school!" Ranma turns away from Akane, albeit a bit reluctantly,   
and pulled the blanket over his head, trying to salvage some more of his   
much needed sleep.  
  
"I found Ryouga!"  
  
That woke him up compleatly. He pulled off the covers from his face,   
and sat back up, looking at Akane.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said I found Ryouga! Aren't you listening? I was out for my   
morning jog, and I found him sleeping on a tree in the park!"  
  
Ranma quickly threw off his covers, showing off his blue, striped   
boxers. Akane just turned around, blushing madly. She then shook it off   
when she saw Ranma about to open the door.  
  
"Ranko! Wait!"  
  
"Huh? Ranko? OH! You mean...?"  
  
Akane nodded. Suddenly, as if on cue, Nodoka's voice rang  
throughout the house.   
  
"Akane! Ranko! Breakfast is ready!"  
  
Akane leaned her head out the doorway and responded, trying   
to buy some time for Ranma.  
  
"Comming Auntie Saotome!" Akane looked at Ranma expectingly and  
whispered harshly to him. "Hurry up Ranma! Ryouga's downstairs too."  
  
Ranma, durring this time, ran into the bathroom and quickly   
drenchef his head with a bucket of cold water, thus transforming himself   
to his cursed form. She then emerged from the bathroom, towel-drying her   
hair.   
  
"I'm ready, already!"  
  
Akane nodded once more, and the two girls ran down the stairs,   
only to walk cautiously to the table upon arriving to their destination.   
There, they did indeed found Ryouga sitting with the rest of the   
family, but they were shocked to see that Genma was not in his   
panda-form.   
  
"Auntie Saotome! What brings you here?" Ranko asked with an   
added feminine giggle.  
  
"Oh, good morning Ranko! Well, I was hoping to catch Ranma, but   
my husband here said that he went to spend the night with a couple of his   
friends. I have also come because he said he had a surprise for me. I'm   
just dying to know what it is!"  
  
Ranma-onna sat herself between Akane and Ryouga, observing that   
it was the only spot available. She looked at Ryouga briefly, who then   
gave his rival-turned-brother a questioning look. He leans over slightly   
and whispered a question that had been nagging him all morning.  
  
"Ranko?"  
  
Ranma gave a sheepish laugh, then sighed seriously. He whispered   
back an answer that would quiet him for the meantime.  
  
"I'll explain later!"  
  
Genma, unaware of little dispute, cleared his throat, and stood,   
gaining the attention of all around the table.   
  
"Yes. Well then Nodoka, dear, if you could remember, it has been   
sixteen years now since we had made a decision that would change our lives   
forever."  
  
Nodoka takes in a sharp breath, and bites her lower lip,   
remembering. Her fingers clutching at her bundled up sword nervously as she   
looked down at the rice bowl not wanting everyone to see the tears forming   
in her eyes.  
  
"Genma... husband.... you promised we would never speak of that   
incident ever again!"  
  
"Let me finish, my dear! As it was, sixteen years ago we had   
decided in order for us to survive, we would have to give away one of   
our own. Sixteen years later, we now find ourselves reuinited once   
more!"  
  
At this Nodoka looked up, startled a bit. Her eyes in the verge of   
overfloawing with tears. She looked at Genma, her brows knit together slightly.   
  
"What? I don't understand. Just what are you saying, husband?"  
  
Genma walked over to where Ranma and Ryouga were sitting. Ranma   
gulped audibly. Had his pop finally flipped his lid? If mom ever found   
out that he was actually Ranma... *GULP!* Genma then leaned and placed   
his hands over Ryouga's shoulders. The boy in question looks up   
confused.  
  
"Nodoka, darling, allow me to present to you, Rykia Saotome."  
  
"Rykia? I'm not Rykia, I'm RyougaaACK!" Ryouga could not   
finish, since he found himself being embraced tightly by Ranma's mother.   
Sure, he had the strength of an ox, but he was a bit startled to find   
he he was having a little dificulty breathing.  
  
"Oh! My son! *sob* My son's come back to me!" Nodoka now didn't   
care if her tears flowed or not. She had her one of her sons back! Oh   
it was happy to be a mother!  
  
Ryouga, on the other hand, didn't know what to do? He looked   
around the room, confused. Soun was crying waterfalls from such a happy   
occasion, but he always seemed to be very sentimental over everything. Genma   
was just standing there, looking smug/proud at the situation. Kasumi was beaming,   
what else was new? Akane was also smilling at him, only with tears in her eyes.   
This left Ryouga confused even more so. He looked then over at Nabiki who was smiling   
as well, only not so noticibly. But it wasn't her usual plastic smile, in fact,   
this one seemed, a bit genuine, if there were ever such a thing for Nabiki. Finally,   
he looked over at Ranma. He wasn't smiling, yet, he wasn't giving him an   
angry stare. He looked a bit... uneasy. If Ryouga didn't know any better,   
he would say he was jealous. No, that couldn't have been right. Ranma was   
probably just upset, after all, to him he wasn't his brother! Ryouga sighed   
inwardly. What if he was right? What if it was all just a big misunderstanding.   
He had not known Nodoka much, but he sure as hell he didn't want to upset her.   
One thing, that sword she carried wherever she went, was a bit intimidating.  
  
Nodoka reluctantly pulled away after having cried for a few minutes.   
At this, Ryouga finally regained his normal breathing paterns. Nodoka just smiled,   
placed her hands upon his shoulders and looked him over.  
  
"My Ryikia! Look at you! So tall, so strong looking! You've   
grown up to be such a handsome man, my son!"  
  
At this, unbeknowest to all, Ranma twitched.  
  
Ryouga blushed at the compliment from the stranger. He placed a hand   
to rub the tension from behind his neck and looked downward slightly, laughing   
nerviously. Nodoka raises a brow at this and blinked. She then peered   
closer to Ryouga's face, who, in turn, instantly took a step back in caution.  
  
"W-what?"  
  
"Fangs." She answered plainly.  
  
Fangs? Of course! That was proof he didn't belong to the   
Saotomes! None of them had fangs. His face fell slightly at this revelation.   
He knew it was too good to be true. He clenched his fists in fustration,   
but his head snapped up attentivly when Nodoka began laughing.  
  
"Fangs! Just like father's! Of course, his fangs were not as long as   
yours, but they run true. Do you not remember, Genma?"  
  
Genma looked up at the ceiling as if trying to remember the old   
man. A vision of a wrinkly, diminuative sack of bones, grinning at him   
with a toothless smile apeared. The old man's grin grew even wider as   
he began to swing his sharp katana at a young Genma for even thinking   
himself worthy to marry his daughter.   
  
Nodoka sighed at seeing Genma's blank look and shook her head.   
With a nod, she then reattatched herself onto Ryouga in a softer embrace.   
  
"No matter! Forgive me, my ramblings are postponing our   
breakfast. Come, let's eat!"  
  
Nodoka gently scooted Ranko aside and sat herself between Ranko and   
Ryouga. They all recommenced eating. Genma and Ranko ate in their usual   
half-starved manner, the rest, in contrast, ate calmly. Ryouga, on   
the other hand, just picked at his food randomly. It looked delicious,   
and dispite his tummy rumbling, craving for nurishment, he just couldn't   
make himself take one bite.  
  
"Rykia, dearest, what's the matter?"  
  
~I'm not Rykia! I'm Ryouga! Ryouga Hibiki!~ Ryouga snapped   
in his mind. ~I'm not your son! I don't even look like you!~ Oh, how   
he wanted to say so outloud, but he just couldn't find himself doing   
so. He looked at her, her eyes were full of love and understanding.   
He spat mentaly. Love? Right! Understanding? HAH! How could she   
understand what he was going through? And why should he act like   
everything was alright? This was the woman who supposably gave birth   
to him, then gave him away! From his perspective, that was not   
love at all! Determined to leave, he stood up, startling most of those   
around the table.  
  
"I think I just need some air. Please excuse me." He bowed, then   
headed on out towards the porch. Finding himself in the kitchen, he turned   
back and walked down the hall, only to find himself somehow upstairs.   
Sighing in resignation, he turned toward a window, opened it, then jumped   
out onto the roof. At least now he was outside.  
  
Ranma, after seeing Ryouga's departure into the stairway, ate  
his breakfast with lightning speed then stood straight up, nearly knocking   
the table from it's contents.  
  
"Yo, Ryouga! Wait!"  
  
Ranma was about to follow when a soft hand grabed his wrist, pulling   
him back slightly.  
  
"Ranko! Leave him alone, he will return."  
  
"With his sense of direction? Not likely!" Ranma scoffed then hastly   
bowed to Nodoka then towards Kasumi. "Breakfast was great, Kasumi! Thanks! Bye!"   
And with that, she rushed up the stairs, in persuit of the lost boy.  
  
Nodoka just watched Ranko leave and just shook her head.   
  
Ranma was surprised she didn't have to go far. After stepping   
out onto the roof, she saw Ryouga sitting at the opposite end of the house,   
facing the the emerged sunrise.  
  
"Ryouga?"  
  
Ryouga sighed and turned briefly to look at Ranma. He smirked slightly.   
  
"Weren't you listening, Ranma? I'm "Rykia"." He growled audibly, disgusted   
at the very least with that name. He turned back around, and looked at   
the sun, shining warmly down at the rooftops, giving off a golden glow upon   
the tile surfaces. "...First I find out, my parent's aren't even my real   
folks, now I learn that my name's not my real name! What's next? I find   
out I'm actualy a pig, and my cursed form is human? Hah! Wouldn't be   
surprised. So... What's with the Ranko Act?"  
  
"Don't change the subject! Listen Ryouga, this is hard for me   
to say.."  
  
"Then don't say it! If you don't want to accept this, that's   
fine with me. I just can't stay here any longer. I just want to get as   
far away from this hell hole as soon as possible. I'm leaving, alright?   
Take care of your folks, Ranma." Ryouga stood up, this time his pack was   
already on his shoulders. (Compliments of Pack-space, from the makers of   
Kettle-space and Mallot-space.) He slowly made his way toward the edge   
of the roof, and looked down toward the ground.  
  
Ranma, wanting to buy time to still talk with him, scrambled   
her brain to find anything that may delay the boy's departure.   
  
"Hey! What about Akane?"  
  
This made Ryouga stop dead on his tracks. He looked up and   
sighed blissfully.  
  
"Akane...." He shook his head from the distraction, then   
continued on to the edge of the roof.  
  
"Damnit Ryouga! You're just going to walk away like that? Are   
you so pig-headed that you'd walk away, knowing you'll be hurting those   
care about you? No way! I won't let you hurt my mom like that!"  
  
Ryouga sharply turned and glared at Ranma. Surrounding him was a   
familiar blue ki, giving a visual represntation of his depression. He   
snarled slightly at Ranma, baring his fangs into the sunlight.  
  
"YOUR MOM was the one who gave me away in the first place! If   
she didn't want me then, who's to say she still wants me now?" His ki   
burned brighter, each word was like adding wood to a fire. "I don't   
know why you're even trying to stop me! The only connection between us   
two, was my word to make you pay for the hell you made me suffer, but   
that's gone! And all you did was make my hell worse!"  
  
"Yeah, well if it's a fight you want, then I'll gladly give it to   
ya!"  
  
"I said I wouldn't, and I keep my word!"  
  
"You didn't say it! Auxillio made you say it! If that's not   
enough to fight me, then I release you of your promise."   
  
Ryouga anger was now mixed with confusion. Auxillio? Somehow he   
knew she was involved that way. Never, under his own will, would he give   
up his revenge that easily. It was all a trick! Ranma didn't deserve to   
get off so easily. He looked down at his palm, already he could see the   
ball of light forming for the Shishi Hokoudan. He was no longer honor   
bound to his word, and it would be a shame to let such energy go to   
waste. He snaped his head up at Ranma, who gulped audibly knowing   
what was about to happen.  
  
"Aw, Shit! Not here, Ryouga!" Ranma leaped down to the front   
gates, and began to run. Ryouga quickly chased after her.  
  
"RANMA! GET BACK HERE AND PREPARE TO DIE!"  
  
Akane looked up from the table after hearing Ryouga's battle cry. She   
got up quickly and ran into the kitchen, seconds later she emerged with a   
kettle of boiling water. Ignoring all the looks from the others, she   
ran out the front door to chase down Ranma and Ryouga. She found them   
in the empty lot several blocks away from the dojo. Already they were   
fighting like always. Ranma, being in female form, was at a   
disadvantage with her size, but made it up with her speed. She was, at   
the moment, dodging all the debri that were being cause from the Bakusai   
Tenketsu.  
  
"Ranma! Here!" Akane threw the kettle towards Ranma. Ranma,   
being preoccupied with dodging Ryouga's umbrella, was unaware at the flying   
object until...  
  
*Clang*   
  
Ranma, temporarly unconsious, slumped onto the ground. The   
kettle spilled over and soaked her, turning her back to his regular   
form. Ryouga, eyes blind with rage, barely noticed the change and   
raised his umbrela for the final strike.  
  
"RYOUGA! STOP!"  
  
Within his clouded haze of anger, Akane's voice seemed to snap him   
awake from his rage.  
  
"A.. Akane?" He looked up at his umbrella quizicly, as if it were   
waiting to be lowered to crush Saotome's head.  
  
"Aiyaa! Ranma! Get up!"  
  
"Shampoo, at last I caught up with you!"  
  
*Twack!*  
  
"Who you calling Shampoo, jackass! Akane! What's going on?"  
  
Ryouga looked around. His audience had now grown. Akane, Ukyou,   
Shampoo, Mousse, and Kuno were all here. Good! Now they would all be  
witness to the disposing of Ranma! No more would Ranma be there to torture   
him, tease him, make him so angry. So, why was he hesitating? Crush   
Saotome's head, his mind voiced, and the debt would be repaid.   
  
"What are you waiting for, Hibiki! Crush that vile sorcerer! So   
that my pig-tailed girl and the fair Akane Tendo shall be free from   
the curse to which that cur has placed upon my loves. Then, they shall be   
free to date me as they shou..." *SMACK* *Thump*  
  
"Get a life, Kuno!" Akane sighed, rubbing her now sore knuckles.  
  
Yes, crush Ranma! It was all so easy! All he had to do was just   
strike now! He had won! But, what of Akane? He glanced out over to her and  
saw her standing there, her eyes were pleading to him, her cheeks   
stained of fresh tears. She would be devistated. But, she would get over   
it. Would she? He shook his head and growled. He rapidly lowered his   
umbrella to his target, determination in his eyes.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Rang three high-pitched voices.  
  
"YEEES!" Rang two tenor-like voices. One hardly audible.  
  
~*BOOM*~  
  
Everyone sheilded themselves as debri came shooting out at   
them. Dust had risen up into the sky like a smoke-screen. Akane coughed   
out the dirt from her lungs and looked up. She couldn't see anything.   
No movement, nothing.  
  
"..Ranma.." Akane could no longer hold herself up anymore. She   
slumped onto the ground and on her knees, burrying her face within her hands   
as she began to cry.   
  
Shampoo stood there, and blinked as well. Her eyes swelled with tears.   
Ukyou, on the other hand, shook her head harsly, denying what had just   
happened. Mousse, in contrast, raised his fists up to the sky, and laugh   
triumphantly! Kuno, believing he had more sense and dignity than the Chinese   
boy, simply sheathed his bokken, lowered his head, and smiled.   
He then snaped his head back up and let out in uncontained maniacal laughter along   
with Mousse.  
  
"Wait! I see something!" Ukyou looked into the dust cloud, hoping   
for anything! Everyone got quiet as the dust quickly settled. Within a   
small crater, they saw Ryouga, leaning against the handle of his umbrella.   
Then a weak cough caught their attention. They all look behind themselves to   
only see a battered up Ranma, impaled upside-down against the wall. He had   
been thrown full force because of the blast. His body, although painfully   
alive, slumped down to the ground as he himself fell face first onto the dirt.   
Slowly, he began to push himself up. Akane, Shampoo, and Ukyou wasted no   
time to rush beside and aid him.  
  
"Shampoo so happy! Shampoo thought Stupid-boy kill Husband!"  
  
"Ranma Honey! Are you alright? Husband? Hey! How many times do I   
have to tell you, he's MY fiance."  
  
Akane just smiled beside Ranma, happy that he was still alive.   
  
"Oh Ranma! I thought Ryouga... Ryouga?"  
  
Akane got up, and looked toward the crater. Ryouga was pulling   
out his umbrella, which had been impaled deeply into the ground. He   
wouldn't look up to meet her gaze. He shouldered his pack and began to   
walk away.  
  
"HIBIKI! Thou has let that vile cur to live? Very well, if you   
shall not finish the deed, then it shall be done by my own hand."  
  
Mousse, also upset that Ranma had not been defeated, knocked Kuno   
down, stepping on his back to pin him.  
  
"Not before me, you don't! I shall be the one to defeat Ranma   
Saotome! Then Shampoo and I shall be wed!"  
  
"Shampoo no let Mousse hurt Ranma!"  
  
"B-bu-but Shampoo! I must defeat Saotome in order to rightfully   
call you.." *THWACK!*  
  
Shampoo muttered something incoherent as she peeled off her   
bomborri from Mousse's face. Kuno, having the weight lifted from him,   
litterally, stood back up, his fist clenched and aimed toward the heavens.  
  
"Alas! The path has been cleared! The smiting of Saotome shall   
be within my glory!"  
  
"Oh no you don't! No one hurts my Ranchan when he's down!"  
  
"What is this? Fair Maiden! Tell me that thou have not been   
cursed, as well, by that vile sorcerer! Move aside fair one, so that I may   
smite this cursed demon and free you all, so that you shall be able to   
date me within your own rights."  
  
"You got to be kidding.." Ukyou sweatdroped. She snarled at the   
pompus jerk and unsheethed her spatula, standing defensivly against Kuno.  
  
"Ah! Thou wishes to fight against me? Such a fair blossom as   
yourself is no match for the might of the "Blue Thunder", but shall   
you win, I shall alow thee to date with me! THEN I SHALL LOOSE WITH   
ALL MY MIGHT! AIIEEEYAAAA-TATATATATATATATA!"  
  
"HEY! I never said that! You arrogant.. ACK!" Ukyou raised her   
weapon, and blocked the oncoming blows from Kuno's bokken. She pulled out   
her mini-spatulas and flung them onto him. The said weapons impale   
themselves onto Kuno's wooden sword.  
  
"Beautius leopardess, tho are very formidable with your odd   
weapon of choice. No matter, I shall not hold back! Thus your reward   
when you fail against me, will right all wrongs! Thou's reward for   
your bravery, shall be a date with Me!"  
  
"Go Brother Dear! Smite that Wench!"  
  
Akane looked up unto the wall and saw Kodachi and Sasuke, sitting ontop   
of it. They both waved little banners on which had the name "Kuno" written   
in Romanji. Akane rolled her eyes at them then looked back   
down at Ranma, who was still trying to shake off the stars floating around   
his head.  
  
"Ranma! Are you just going to lay there while Ukyou faces Kuno alone?"  
  
"Uuugh.. Man, I must be having a nightmare! I'm seeing TWO   
uncute tomboys in front of me!"  
  
"OOOOOO!!! RAAAANMA!!" Akane whipped out her mallet, and punted   
Ranma into the field, like a golfball. Ranma shook off his dizzyness mid-air,   
summersaulted, and landed right between Ukyou and Kuno. Kuno smiled   
slightly and bowed at Ukyou.  
  
"Alas, Fair leopardess! My matter against Saotome exceed everything   
else! After I smite this cur, I shall spar against you, and thus be off   
on our date afterwards." He turned to Ranma, who was still shaking the   
kinks in his head.  
  
"Ranchan?" Ukyou sheathed her spatula behind her back, sighed and   
looked up at Ranma.  
  
"Wha?"  
  
"This is obviously your fight, so, knock him sensless for me?"  
  
"With pleasure!" Ranma smiled as he cracked his knuckles,   
threateningly.  
  
"To hold now another innocent flower for your own, I shall   
smite thee moreso! You shall pay dearly for thou foul deeds! PREPARE   
YOURSELF RANMA SAOTOME!!"  
  
Ranma smirked, but only slightly. He shut his eyes and shook   
off the little white spots that had appeared suddenly in front of his   
eyes. Afterward he took his relaxed pose. Un-noticed by him, he   
accidently took a step forward to balance himself.  
  
The other's, however, did notice.  
  
"Ranma! What's Wrong with you?"  
  
"Ranchan's must still be feeling that blast Ryouga gave him."  
  
"Aiyaa! Ranma no can fight like that! Stupid Bokken-boy take   
advantage!"  
  
"Ranma! Snap out of it!"  
  
"I'm Fine, Akane! I can handle this!" Ranma snarled, not wanting   
to be shown as a weakling. Spots or no spots, he could beat Kuno with   
his two hands tied behind his back.  
  
"Brother Dear! Don't hurt my Ranma Darling too much! Or I might   
get upset!"  
  
Kuno striked first. He jabed his bokken straight, intending to   
impale his weapon right into Ranma's right shoulder. Ranma turned,   
barely missing it by a few centimeters. Using the momentum of his turn,   
he spin-kicked right into Kuno's face. Kuno's head snaped right. Ranma   
then felt his knees buckle, and he fell, loosing his balance.  
  
"RANMA!"  
  
Kuno composed himself. Seeing Ranma on the floor, he steped  
toward him and placed his bokken right on his throat. Ranma stoped,   
unable to move. His eyes, wide with shock, glared right at the bokken.   
  
"Already I see thou's maidens weap for joy! They know that soon   
they shall be free from thou's chains of black magic! Farewell   
sorcerer! I shall send you back to the hells from which you foolishly   
emerged! Remember this next time, when you think to emerge again! I,   
Tatewaki Kuno, The "Blue Thunder" will be waiting! And I shall smite   
thee again! DIE DEMON SAOTOME!"  
  
"NOOOOOO!!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~  
Don'tcha just love cliffhangers?   
Is this a cliffhanger?  
More like a speed-bump hanger.  
Or is it a Clothes' hanger?  
Whatever.  
  
C&C Wanted:  
Please apply within.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ja ne! (Stop this Crazy thing!)  
Evil Kasumi  
*~"She's really a very sweet girl. She's just a violent maniac!"~*  
  
"If Everyone jumped off a cliff, I'd wait till I was last in line.   
Then, the fall won't be so steep and so hard."- me  
  
http://members.nbci.com/GodsEvilSis  
**COR's Keeper of the Heituenniichuan**   



	4. Hidden Secrets

Sibling Rivalry  
  
Hidden Secrets  
  
Ryouga blinked. He hadn't seen anything that resembled grass   
or a clustered area of wood for the past hour! What he did see were   
people busting in and out of little shops, haggling with the clerks for   
a discount. Well, he did have other things in his mind, maybe he just   
overlooked the forest. Nothing new. Ryouga sighed. Least he was far   
away from the main source of his problem.   
  
"Hehe.. Well, Well. Back from your journey, Ryouga?"  
  
Ryouga turned and screamed in horror. He had just come face to   
face with what looked like a long-decayed corp..*WACK*  
  
((::Author gets wacked in the head by large staff::))  
  
Cologne just glares at the sky.  
  
"Who you calling a decayed corpse?" Cologne then closes her   
eyes and shakes her head. Mumbling something about disrespectful   
authors.  
  
Ryouga eases his hyperventilation, and looks back up to see   
Cologne grinning at him. He shuddered. That look was worse than what   
he first saw. He glares at the Old Ghoul.  
  
"You? What are you doing in Kobe?"  
  
*BONK*  
  
"This isn't Kobe!"  
  
"OW! HEY!.... Wait! You mean.. I'M STILL IN NERIMA??   
AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH....." *CLUNK*  
  
Cologne pulls back her staff after impaling it onto Ryouga's   
thick head. Amazingly, it didn't crack. (Cane or head.. you decide.)   
She looks back up from the tip of her cane, back down to the   
unconscious form of Ryouga, and sighs. She could leave him out there,   
but then, maybe she could use the boy for a plan to get Son-in-Law.   
After all, the boy did survive the mixture of potions and Akane Tendo's   
cooking. Maybe he won't be much of a useless idiot after all.  
  
And what of Son-in-Law?  
  
Tatewaki Kuno had dreamed of this day many times. Sometimes,   
in his dreams, the sorcerer would pull out one of his tricks and would   
run away like a coward with Akane and the Pig-tailed girl in tow. Not   
today!   
  
"DIE DEMON SAOTOME!"  
  
"NOOOOOO!!"  
  
Graceful and swiftly did Kuno begin to descend his bokken onto   
Saotome, but oddly, it came to a abrupt interruption. He felt a yank,   
and was immediately thrown from his position, onto a wall, causing him   
to loose consciousness.  
  
"Brother! I won't let you harm my Ranma-Darling!"  
  
Ranma opens his once clenched eyes, and utters the first   
intelligible thing that came to mind:  
  
"... URK?"  
  
Of all people, Kodachi was the one to save him? Gawds he felt   
nauseous.  
  
"Alas, my love! I shall be the one who will graciously tend to   
your wounds. That wicked boy shall pay for what he's done to my love!"  
  
Ranma gulped, and began to scramble up, but was pushed back   
down as Kodachi glomped onto him.   
  
"Oh Ranma darling! Take unto these lips which rightfully belong   
to you, so that you may know my love."  
  
"Hey.. wait.. I.. HELP!" Ranma could just stare in horror as   
Kodachi closed her eyes, and began descending down to kiss Ranma. He   
turns away, but her cold hands jerk his head back facing her own. All   
he could do now, was try to swallow his lips. A pointless act, but he   
thought it was useful. He felt her warm breath, smelled the mint of   
her toothpaste, and could briefly feel the smoothness of her lips brush   
against his puckered up mouth before he suddenly felt the weight of her   
body lift from his own.  
  
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" Akane yanks Kodachi's   
ponytail, causing her to be thrown ungracefully beside Ranma, who took   
the opportunity to scramble back upwards.  
  
"You.... YOU... YOU Wicked Shrew! This is not over yet, Akane   
Tendo!" Her glare quickly turns to a look of adoration as she glances   
over to Ranma, who was still trembling from the experience. "Fear not,   
my love! I shall return, then we shall continue where we had left off!   
OHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOO!" Kodachi twirled her ribbon, which expelled   
black rose petals out of thin air. (Probably from Petal-space. ::gets   
wacked::)) After distracting her on-lookers, she hops over the wall,   
and prances away, laughing maniacally.   
  
Akane clenches her fist at Kodachi's departing form, visions of   
pounding Kodachi into a pound of mush, danced within her head.   
  
"Ranma honey, how many fingers am I holding up?"  
  
"Uh... Two and a half?"  
  
"*Sigh* Come'on Ranma-hon, maybe some Okonomiyaki well help ya   
get better!" Ukyou begins pulling Ranma toward the street when suddenly   
she was yanked back.  
  
"No! We take Ai-ren to Great Grandmother! She help Ranma get   
better!" Shampoo clenches her hand onto Ranma's own, and begins pulling   
in the opposite direction.  
  
Ukyou pulls back, causing them both to jerk back. "But my place   
is closer!" She spoke through clenched teeth.  
  
Shampoo looks up and glares at Ukyou eye-to-eye. Electricity   
clashing as they gave each other deathly glares.   
  
"Uh.. girls?"  
  
"BUTT OUT!" Both turned at Ranma, and glared at him.. then   
turned back and resumed their staring match.  
  
Of course, Ranma would have "Butted-out", but his hands were   
being crushed by the two girls who were oblivious that he even existed.   
After much straining, he managed to free himself of their vice-like   
grips. Fanning his hands, trying to resume the circulation that was cut   
off earlier, he looks around. Akane was missing. He looks down   
further, and see's her walking back to the Dojo. Ranma glances back,   
and see's that Ukyou and Shampoo had pulled out their weapons, still   
giving each other paralyzing glares. Ranma knew it was time to exit.   
He runs up to catch up to Akane.  
  
Akane could hear Ranma running after her, but she didn't care.   
She sighed quietly as she sensed him jumping from the concrete, onto   
the chain-linked fence. Did she repulse him enough that he did not   
want to be seen next to her?  
  
"Akane? I... uh... well... you know..."  
  
"I'm not speaking to you!"  
  
"What I do now? That thing with Kodachi.. It wasn't my fault!   
Geez! What's your problem?"  
  
"What's _MY_ Problem? What's _YOUR_ problem? What were you   
thinking back there! The nerve of you picking on Ryouga! Hasn't he   
been through a lot already?"  
  
"You think I asked for this? I don't see anyone asking my   
opinion about all this! ::mumbles:: And to think I was going to   
apologize...uncute tomboy..."  
  
".......Well?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well What?"  
  
"Bakka! Well, what IS your opinion."  
  
"Oh... uh... well.. I don't know."  
  
Akane facefaulted, but quickly retaliates.  
  
"I don't know why I bother!" She shakes her head, and stomps   
faster, leaving Ranma to run in order to catch up.  
  
Back in the lot...  
  
Sasuke jumped down from the wall he was earlier perched upon,   
and began to examine his fallen master. Poking him in several places he   
came to a conclusion: He's going to be out cold for a long time. He   
sighed. He sits down cross-legged beside his master, and waits   
patiently. He glances up at the two girls who were still at it with   
each other, then begins to play with a strand of grass below him.   
  
His thoughts trailed back to this morning when he was   
"observing" Akane Tendo for his master. He had overheard the dilemma   
that was just revealed to everyone: Master Saotome and Master   
Hibiki... Brothers? He had left the Tendo's rooftop right away to tell   
the news to Master Kuno, but along the way, Mistress Kodachi had halted   
him. She had wanted him to deliver a package to Master Saotome. Of   
course this was when Master Saotome and Master Hibiki began to fight.   
  
"And to think those two just realized they were brothers.."  
  
Suddenly, something felt terribly wrong. It didn't feel like an   
ambush.. but rather someone.. or someones were giving him a powerful   
glare. Sasuke looked up and saw that the two girls had stopped their   
bickering, and were giving the ninja questioning looks.   
  
"What... did you say?"  
  
"What ninja boy talking about?"  
  
A large droplet of sweat appeared behind Sasuke head. He   
hadn't realized that he had just spoken this new revelation out loud.   
His hand instantaneously shoots up to scratch away the droplet, and he   
begins to laugh nervously.  
  
"Did I say Brothers? What an absurd thought! Must have been a   
slip of the tongue! How foolish of me! Hehehe... heh."  
  
Acting wasn't really one of Sasuke's best subjects, unless it   
was for sucking up, which wasn't the case here. The girls didn't buy   
it. Instead they were giving him a look that said that if he didn't   
start talking, he'd end up with the same fate as his master over there.   
  
Sasuke sighed. May as well. He drew in his breath.. and began   
to tell his story.  
  
Ukyou, Shampoo and Mousse, who had awoken just in time to hear   
the latter half of the story, ((Along with some of the readers out   
there... or perhaps you're still asleep.. anyway.. on with the fic,))   
blinked simultaneously at the diminutive ninja.   
  
"Maybe crazy girl put too-too much potion in ninja-boy food,   
no?"  
  
"I swear, by my ninja honor, that I speak the truth."   
  
"Ranma Saotome and Ryouga Hibiki, I just don't see the   
similarities."  
  
Ukyou rose a brow at the bottle-eyed boy. She opened her mouth   
to say something.. but shut it quickly. She shook her head.. it was   
just too easy. Then suddenly, an idea struck her. Without a second to   
loose, she sprinted off toward the Tendo dojo, grinning appreciatively.  
  
"Where Spatula-girl go? We no done with fight!"  
  
"Oh Shampoo! Alone at last!" *BONK*  
  
"Stupid Mousse! Must tell Great-Grandmother! You come?"  
  
"I'll follow you everywhere, my darling Shampoo!" *Wack*  
  
"Stop be idiot! Come, we go!"  
  
Ryouga looked around. He recognized this place! Yes! Home!   
Somehow he made it back. How? He didn't care. He's in his back   
yard... Front yard? Well.. his yard! He looks around again. Funny,   
where's the large pot he got for his mother? In fact, most of the   
stuff he had either bought, or recognized seemed to be missing. The   
plentiful fruit trees that he had once known, were now just young,   
fruitless saplings. Damn. This wasn't his home. And here he thought   
he got it right this time. He was about to leave, but stopped as he   
sensed someone approaching.   
  
A small, brown-haired boy slides open the door to the house   
from behind, and enters the yard. He looks about six or seven years   
old, and was wearing a traditional white gi. He is holding hands with   
an older man, somewhat in his thirties, who was also wearing a   
traditional gi, only his looked more worn out. If one didn't know   
better, one would say that the boy was leading, but that was a silly   
notion. The two newcomers seem to be oblivious of Ryouga's presence,   
and pass right by him, and head toward the center of the yard. The   
younger of the two was the first to break the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Now Touchan? Can you tell me now?"  
  
The elder looks around, satisfied with what he sees, although   
still apparently unaware of Ryouga. He looks back at the boy, who was   
looking up at him with bright, energetic eyes, and nods. He then gets   
on his knees, and sits upon his heels. The younger follows the elder's   
example.  
  
"My son, when your mother visited a week ago, she and I have   
talked about something that's very important to all of us, including   
yourself. After much debate, we both felt that you are now ready to   
learn the basics of our family's school."  
  
"But Touchan.. I'm already going to school."  
  
"Yes, but this "school" is different. It's the Hibiki School   
of Unorthodox Martial Art Artillery. You will not only learn the ways   
of the umbrella, and bandanna for combat, but I shall teach you   
something you will never learn anywhere else. It will not only change   
your life for the better, but it will also change it for the worse."  
  
The younger boy just blinks at this. The elder, seeing his   
son's confused reaction, looks around him, and picks up a medium-sized   
rock. He encloses it between his thick callused hands and starts to   
squeeze, crushing the rock into a powder. The boy's eyes instantly go   
wide with awe.  
  
"This, my son, is the "Hibiki Family Secret." A curse and a   
blessing. For us males, it is strength beyond normal men, yet the   
consequences of learning this technique is very tragic. To learn this   
knowledge, you'll eventually loose your sense of direction."   
  
"Is.. um.. is that why you and Kaachan get lost all the time?   
Cause you both know the Secret?"  
  
"Yes, Ryouga, your mother learned it after her and I were   
married. She had to since she had now become part of the family."  
  
"So, why you asking me if I have to do it. I'm a Hibiki, right?   
I gotta do it."  
  
The elder Hibiki hesitated at this, then smiled appreciatively   
at his son.  
  
"Are you certain that you wish to learn the secret of the   
Hibiki Clan? You'll never again find exactly where you wanted to go on   
your first try. It's a big sacrifice."  
  
"Hai, Tou-san, I want to learn the Hibiki Family Secret and   
become a man, just like you!"  
  
The scene fades into a mist, leaving elder Ryouga standing in a   
void. He closes his eyes, remembering that fateful day. Was it really   
all worth it? He would suppose so. He was a Hibiki. Is a Hibiki! It   
was within his duty for his clan to learn the School, curse and all.  
  
"You were so innocent back then. Had you known the REAL   
consequences of the Hibiki curse..."  
  
Ryouga turned around and saw that Auxillio had once again   
appeared out of nowhere. She was still wearing her school-girl outfit,   
but something was wrong.  
  
"Heh.. the room's not all white, is that it?" Auxillio smiled.   
She was right, the room wasn't as white as a Clorox-bleach commercial,   
but was dark and formless. Not that the other room had any form at all   
as well. "Tell me Ryouga, would you still learn..."  
  
"Yes." Ryouga cut her off. He knew what she was going to ask.   
Would he have learned the "secret" knowing now how much pain it had   
brought him, the humiliation he endured? Of course he would! It was   
within his honor. He then turned and glared at Auxillio.   
  
"Who are you really? You say you're not an angel, but... what   
are you? What do you want?"  
  
Auxillio's bright smile faded, but still adorned her face.  
  
"Ryouga? Tell me. Do you still remember a time when you were   
truly happy? Not when you were with Akane in your cursed form. That's   
just contentment. I mean really happy! You can't, can you? That's what   
I want. To give you happiness. I've watched you for longer than you   
think, and it pained me every time to see you so down, berating   
yourself for your misery. I'm no goddess, no genie. I cannot grant   
you wishes. I can't perform miracles. I can't just *poof* instantly   
make you giddy! I don't have that power. What I can do, is try to make   
your life a bit better the best way I know how. As for who I am, I'm   
just a kindred spirit, that doesn't want you to do the same mistakes I   
have made."  
  
"A "Kindred spirit"? What do you mean." His anger slowly fading   
to just mild irritation.  
  
Auxillio looks away, lowering her head. She then looks down at   
her wrists, clutching one of them tightly. She takes in a deep breath,   
and sighs.  
  
"You really want to know who I am? All right.. I'll tell you.   
My name was.. is.. my name is Auxillio Gutierrez, I lived in a little   
town in Sonora, Mexico, half a world away from Japan. As many   
teenagers my age, I was carefree, and oblivious of the future. I only   
thought of which party to go, and who to go with. But my carefree life   
soon ended as my mother started getting ill.   
  
"My father had left when I was three, leaving my mother to care   
for my younger brother and I. Since my mother could not work anymore,   
I would have to. I quit my school to earn the money for her medication   
and put food on the table. I lost all my friends, and a bit of myself.   
When my mother died, the girl I had once been, was gone.   
  
"Then, one day, my Tia offered to take only one of us, since   
she could not afford us both, and thus took David, since he still   
couldn't take care of himself. I couldn't take care of him. Loosing   
one's direction is one thing, Ryouga, but loosing everything you had is   
totally different. It was... it was November of '78, that I decided to   
loose it all.   
  
"This here, I don't know whether it's my Heaven or Hell. I've   
not seen my mother since I arrived, but I know she's here. I was blind   
to see that life still went on. I could've just picked up myself from   
the ruins, and be strong for my brother. But I wasn't strong.   
  
"I was called to you because you seemingly were heading the   
same path I was in. It doesn't matter how you approached it; walking,   
crawling, skipping. You still were on that same path. That is why I   
told you of Ranma. I thought it would've at least brought a sliver of   
happiness, if not even just a breath of it. I thought I could at least   
get you off the path for just a moment. I thought that if I at least   
did that... I could make up for the stuff I did. I thought, if I did   
something right.. I could see my mother again." She looks away, tears   
already flowing from her lifeless, brown eyes.  
  
Ryouga looks down, uncomfortable. He didn't mean to make   
Auxillio relive all that. He looks up, and is about to apologize, when   
he see's her looking up at him, smiling again. She holds up a hand to   
stop him, and looks to him, eye-to-eye. Sure her tears were still   
there, but they made her dark, gloomy eyes now glow bright with fire.  
  
"Ryouga, you are strong. Strength as well as soul. Yet you   
clearly misunderstood my intentions! Never did I ask you to give up   
being a Hibiki and become a Saotome. Never! That is clearly up to you,   
although I wouldn't recommend it. That Genma Saotome isn't exactly   
what I call a model "Dad".. but who am I to judge? All I did, was show   
you that you don't have to be alone. He may not be a perfect brother,   
but who wants a perfect brother? Blackmailing isn't quite as easy if   
you have a perfect brother." *winks* "Think about it, all right? No   
need for rushing things. Now.. it's time for you to wake up.   
Remember, think about it."  
  
"Think about it....."  
  
"Think about it, child. Ryouga is a Saotome. With that said,   
Ryouga can fulfill the agreement with the Tendo's and Saotomes,   
relieving Son-in-law of his engagement, and thus able to fulfill the   
laws of our tribe! The boy is already infatuated with the youngest   
Tendo. If Ryouga fulfills the families' agreement.."  
  
"Then Shampoo can marry Ranma! Is good-good plan,   
Great-Grandmother! Aiyaa! Lost boy Waking up!"  
  
Cologne leans over to the seat where Ryouga was unceremoniously   
plopped while in unconscious form. The lost boy opens an eyelid and..  
  
...........  
  
Shampoo blinked. not a soul was responding. The sounds of the   
people that were chattering outside the Nekkohaten, had mysteriously   
disappeared, leaving only the soft rhythmic sounds of their own breaths   
to entertain their ears. Mousse adjusted his glasses to see if   
everyone had left him.  
  
Cologne looks up, approvingly. Apparently the author had   
learned her lesson. She nods, and the voices outside resume, bringing   
along the sounds of cars zooming by, and a shout of a poor boy in   
agony. The matriarch of the Amazons looks back down at the Lost Boy,   
who was trembling from shock.. twice in one day may I add.   
  
"Get used to it boy. A future Amazon such as yourself should   
show absolutely no fear."  
  
At this, Ryouga stood abruptly, causing his chair to tumble   
backwards. He slams his palms onto the table, causing it to splinter   
and shatter about. Cologne rewarded the boy's show of strength with a   
knock on the noggin, though, not as hard to induce unconsciousness like   
previously.   
  
"FUTURE AMAZON? What the Hell are you talking about, you Old   
Ghoul?"  
  
Cologne smirks. (Is there no end to the horror masks she   
wears.. *KLUNK*))  
  
~~~Slight Intermission as Author regains consciousness~~~  
  
((Owww... Okay. Okay! I'll shut up and get on with the   
story.)) ((We Continue...))  
  
Cologne Smirks.  
  
"Precisely! If Son-in-Law is to marry my Shampoo, being his   
brother would make you an Amazon be default. Of course, you will still   
have to prove yourself with the Elders."   
  
"What makes you sure that Ranma is going to choose Shampoo?   
That womanizing jerk's still got two other fiancées to leech off from."  
  
"Not necessarily, my boy. In fact, you are going to relieve   
him of one of his fiancées!"  
  
"I think you've gone senile with your age, Lady! I'm not doing   
anything for Ranma, so you can just forget it! I'm leaving."  
  
Ryouga shoulders his pack, (Don't ask how he found it so   
quickly.. I don't even know,) and starts heading toward the storage   
room. Cologne shakes her head.  
  
"My, my. To think that Ryouga would freely give up a chance to   
marry Akane."  
  
Cologne blinked for at that moment, Ryouga was sitting on the   
chair he had once been seated, and was glaring down at her.   
  
"I'm listening."  
  
Cologne's grin grew to an outright maniacal smirk.  
  
"So you see, Mr. Tendo, Ryouga's a Saotome.. right?"  
  
It was dinner time, and the Tendos, Ranma and Genma Saotome,   
and Ukyou Kounji were all sitting in their respectful places by the   
dinner table. Well, Ukyou had squeezed herself between Ranma and   
Akane, and was at the moment discussing "business" with Soun. Akane was   
acting like she didn't care, but her face had jealously clearly written   
across her face. (Unlike a certain goddess across in the next district,   
who literally had some words plastered on her face.. but I digress..)   
Ranma and Genma were deeply involved with trying to steal... er...   
obtain their rightful proportions of food, to even pay attention.   
  
Soun looked cautiously at Ukyou. He had heard that tone of   
voice before. In fact, it was an everyday occurrence with his daughter   
Nabiki. That fact alone, made him a tad uncomfortable.  
  
"Yes, you are correct. But what does that have to do with   
anything?"  
  
"Well as you can see.." Ukyou turned, and held out her hand   
toward Akane, who at the moment was yelling at Ranma because of some   
comment he made about her looks, and had now thrown him out from his   
seat and into the pond, triggering his curse. "As you can see..   
there's no way that those two will even comply with the arrangement   
that you and the Old Man made."  
  
At this Soun began to wail pathetically.  
  
"Oh It's True! All is Lost! OUR SCHOOLS WILL NEVER BE   
UNITED!!"  
  
"Whoa, whoa! Stop that! Stop Crying, okay? As I was saying..   
Ryouga's a Saotome, right? Well.. why not have HIM fulfill the   
arrangement between your families?"  
  
Cut to Nekkohaten:  
  
"...Therefore relieving Son-in-law of his pending engagement to   
the Tendos, giving you, my boy, a chance to marry Akane instead. After   
this, Ranma can finally fulfill the laws of our Tribe and marry..."  
  
Cut back to Tendo Household:  
  
"... Me! After all, the Old Man did betroth me to Ranma! What   
do you think, Mr. Tendo?"  
  
Soun Tendo stroked his mustache in thought. The idea did have   
merit. But he had grown fondly of Ranma. True that the Ryouga boy was   
indeed a Saotome, and did show interest in Akane. He knew about   
"P-Chan." Oh yes. Countless time he had seen that black little piglet   
climb into the furo, as he tried to enjoy a nice relaxing hot bath, and   
seen Ryouga emerge out of nowhere. He and Saotome had kept this secret   
from Akane, in hopes to provoke Ranma. Make the boy jealous enough to   
reveal his true feelings. Yes.. perhaps there was hope for the School!   
And maybe.. Oh just maybe.. he actually keep the dojo in one piece!   
  
At this tears overflowed Soun's eyes. He clenches his hands,   
and looks up, as if praising any deity that had overshown his household   
with such good fortune.  
  
Ukyou smiled at this. She laughed inwardly, and thought to   
herself.   
  
"He bought it! Oh Ranma! At last we can finally be wed! Now..   
what to do about that Amazon Hussy?"   
  
  
Meanwhile.. back at the Nekkohaten:  
  
Shampoo was extreamly pleased with the turn of events. She   
sighed dreamily, (Is that a word?) and imagined herself back with her   
tribe, a strong, proud, smilling Ranma at her side. Ryouga had been   
talked into the plan very easily. Now.. what to do about that Violent   
Spatula girl?  
  
((To Be Continued..)) 


	5. How many roads must a manamongmen walk?

OH MY!  
She's actually Posting again!  
RUUUUN!  
  
hehe.. sorry  
  
Yes, I'm back.. and with Chapter 5. I was intending to have this be   
the final chapter of the series.. but I got Writter's block, and thus   
finished it a little too short. I appologize for that. But I'm   
Tinkering with ideas for Chapter 6.. which _will_ be the final   
chapter.... I hope.   
  
I'd reeally appreciate any C&C of any form!  
  
You're funny if you think Ranma and all things related to it belongs to   
me.. heh.. nah.. it belongs to the great Rumiko Takahashi (We're not   
worthing of her greatness!)  
  
Enjoy!  
Evil Kasumi  
*~"She's really a very sweet girl. She's just a violent maniac!"~*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~**********~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chap. 5  
How many roads must a man-among-men walk?  
  
Flowing smoothly down it's path, the water heads toward an   
unfamiliar place. It does not know what lies ahead, only what it has   
passed through. One instant, it could be heading downstream, toward   
the vast free ocean, the next instant it may find itself trickling down   
a storm-drain, to fester in the stench-filled sewers, like what this   
particular stream was about to find out.   
  
A lone traveler steps over the stream of rain-water as he   
attempted to cross the street. He did not fancy the idea of getting   
wet. Expensive shoes? Not particularly. His clothes are worn thin,   
and tattered in areas. Were not for the leg-binders, this author would   
have to then write that the traveler was wearing "pedal-pushers", but   
such was not the case.  
  
Ryouga did not bother to look up at where he was going. What   
was the use of that? He would not recognize where he was, nor would it   
help in getting to his final destination; the Tendo Dojo. Did he   
really want to be there? He was having doubts about that. The   
situations involved had indeed become complicated to say the least...   
Okay okay.. things have really been shot to Hell!   
  
Perhaps he should ignore all that was said so that things can   
go back to normal? That way he can find his way back to Nerima, pay   
Saotome back for the Hell endured and live happily ever after with   
Akane by his side? Yeah right! As if things could ever be that easy?   
This is all Saotome's fault! All three of them! And..... and there's   
not a thing in Hell he can do about it. Damn. Ryouga gripped his   
umbrella tighter in frustration. Although the rain had let up a little   
while back, he wasn't going to take any chances.   
  
Letting curiosity getting the best of him, he looks up to take   
in his surroundings. He's in a some sort of residential area. Well,   
at least it's not a forest, or anything of the sort. Upon closer   
inspection of one of the houses, he could tell he wasn't in Nerima.   
There were no repair patches in any of the walls. It's a very nice   
neighborhood, to say the least. Especially with the view of that big   
mountain in the background. Hmmm... There's something about that   
mountain, something familiar. Ugh! What is it? FUGI! That's it! That's   
Mount Fugi! Well, whoop-dee-doo. Wasn't there a "Mount Fugi" in Matsue   
as well? Hmph! If you've seen one Mount Fugi, you've seen 'em all.   
Now.. with that settled, how does one get to Nerima from here?   
  
Ryouga sighs, and resumes walking: Head low, and umbrella up   
high. As he walks down the road, we look back to the front of the   
house where he was standing by. In the corner of the wall, above the   
letter chute, there shines a plaque. Not just any old plaque, this   
particular one had the name "Hibiki" upon it. Oh well.  
  
When it comes to a obtaining peace of mind, or relaxation of   
the spirit, there are several forms of mediations, or "Zen" as one   
would call it, used; Za-zen (sitting-Zen), Do-Zen (moving-Zen), and   
San-Zen-in.... okay maybe not the latter. For Ukyou Kuonji, okonomiyaki   
making was no different. True, almost anyone can make okonomiyaki, but   
it takes a life-time of dedication to master it! One must time the   
moment right, to flip it and only the right amount of sauce will do. It   
is an art. So, of course she'll get mighty tiffed if someone were to   
interrupt her meditation.  
  
The small bells rang out, announcing a customer. Ukyou looks   
up from the grill to observe whether it was a "regular" or a   
"newcomer".   
  
"Ran-chan! Come-on in!"  
  
Of course, there are those whom she didn't mind interrupting   
her work.  
  
"Hiya, Uk-chan."  
  
"Why the long face, Ranma?" She asked, smiling at her own joke.  
  
Ranma grumbled for a bit, not for the little play on his   
namesake, but just for the heck of it. Otherwise kept quiet. Ukyou   
deciding not to push the subject for now, went on adding finishing   
touches to Ranma's okonomyiaki (sauce-drawn hearts and flowers). For a   
while nothing is said.  
  
"So.. Ranma.. how does it feel?" Ukyou asked casually, flipping   
it so it landed face-up on Ranma's plate.  
  
"Huh?"   
  
"You know.. to have a brother?" She leaned over the grill,   
resting her hands upon the counter, watching as Ranma began to inhale   
the food.  
  
"*Chomp* I wouren *gulp*.. I wouldn't know."  
  
"B-but I thought you and Ryouga..."  
  
"We're not brothers. He doesn't like the idea, and neither do   
I and believe me, that's fine with me!" Ranma resumed eating his meal,   
only with not as much gusto as before.  
  
Ukyou, on the other hand, was in a slight panic! This was bad!   
This just put a dander in her plans! She's gotta get Ranma and Ryouga   
into good terms with each other, otherwise Ryouga won't become a   
Saotome, having him take Ranma's place for the Saotome/Tendo agreement,   
freeing Ranma from the deal, and having him all to herself!   
AAAARRRGGHH!  
  
"Uk-chan?"  
  
"Yes, Ran-chan?" She asked, smiling innocently at him.  
  
Ranma wanted to ask her if there was something personally wrong   
with him. Ask why wouldn't Ryouga accept the fact that he's his   
brother? Would it be so bad to have him as a brother? A hundred   
questions bombarded his head. But if he were to let out his emotions   
like so, he'd show weakness, and a martial artist should never show   
weakness at anytime! He sighed, and got up from the wooden stool.  
  
"Food was great! I gotta go, Mom's planning a surprise tonight,   
so I best be going. Thanks alot Uk-chan!" And with that, he bounds out   
the door.  
  
"Uh.. sure, Ranchan.. bye."  
  
  
Happosai was grinning like the maniac he was. He found it!   
After hours of searching within his "treasures" he found it. Now.. if   
only he remembered what exactly "it" was. He looks closely at the   
metallic egg. It was about as big as he was, and just as shiny in the   
head. (*BONK* Ow.. okay okay!) He walks around it, and begins to   
think. Wasn't he supposed to collect eight of these and then a dragon   
would emerge? No. Hah! Now he remembered. He picks up the large   
metallic object, and throws it up into the air. Then shouts, with all   
his might, the magic words!  
  
"Pika-chu.. I choose you!"   
  
*CLANG*  
  
Uhm.. That didn't work.  
  
Disappointed to say the least, he pulls out his pipe, and sits   
crossed-legged on top of the eggie in contemplation. In other words he   
was wondering how'd he'd get his money back for the stupid thing. After   
half a minute in concupiscence.. Er.. contemplation, he figured he'd   
just go to Kasumi, and ask for a biiig Omlette.  
  
*Craaacck*  
  
That wasn't a normal sound...  
  
*Crik..Crk... Crrrrrrraaaack... Brekeeee!!*  
  
Nope.. not normal at all...  
  
Happosai looked down from where he was perched, and blinks.  
  
Then again, _what_ was normal in Nerima?   
  
*BRKEE!* *Flap... flap... swssh... swosh... swomph... vomph*  
  
In fact.. this was so abstract.. it was ordinary. "Normal is   
weird, and weird is normal," some say.  
  
Perhaps he should leave this to his students. As a test or   
something. Yeah, that's it! The beach in Nankoku was nice this time of   
year. Oh boy!  
  
  
Ryouga sat on a rock, somewhere near a creak, blinking   
continuously from the aftermath of the day's events.   
  
After wondering for some time, he found himself in a quaint   
town of Akame-Akare, or something of the sort. Never remembered   
passing through that town before. Anyway. It wasn't the pastel   
colored animals that bothered him.. it was the fact that they could   
talk! Sure they were liable to have anvils, hammers and 2-ton weights   
dropped opon themselves and just spring out like some sort of   
accordion.. that was normal, but his ears were still ringing from how   
highly pitched they spoke. They were so Kawaii, his stomach swore off   
sweets for a year. He was just about to leave, when his curse made an   
unschedualed cameo. That's when Hell showed her Kawaii, red-haired   
self.   
  
P-chan cursed his fate for the umpteenth time. His clothes   
were all muddy from the sprinkler system, and his pack was slowly   
sinking into the mud. Damn. Perhaps he should ask that Blue Bunny for   
some Hot Water. Definitly not the Pig... Han-ton.. or whatever it's   
name was.. no. It'd just would make him wretch. P-chan let out a   
piggish sigh, and strutted toward a nearby house. At first he didn't   
think much of it, but then, he went inside the gates. Welcome to Hell.   
Animals were locked up in tight cages. Their big eyes pleading for a   
way out, even if it meant chewing their legs off. Some of the animals   
were dead, their bones the only remains that they had ever existed, the   
others, wished they were as lucky as their peers. Ryouga felt shivers   
run down his spine. He'll find hot water somewhere else. That was his   
plan until he felt himself being levitated.  
  
"OOOOO! A cute little piggy cutie-head has come to play with   
me! Don't worry mister-piggy-pig! I'll take care of you! I'll Love ya,   
and squeeze ya into Itty-bitty Pieces! Heehee!"  
  
Love him? With desperate eyes, he turned to look at whom the   
kawaii voice belonged too. What he saw, nearly made him face-fault.   
Her hair was orange-red, not as bright as Ranma's, but red nontheless.   
Was he to be tormented by red-heads all his life? She wore a   
white-pleated skirt, and a turqouise-like blouse. Normal, if on   
another girl.. except for one little detail. Adorning her hair, was a   
bow.. with a miniature skull, probably a squirell's, hamster's.. or..   
*Gulp* a pigglet's. Feeling something worse than death from this girl,   
Ryouga struggled to free himself. But the girl's grip just tightened..   
nearly causing him to black out. This girl can put Azusa to shame!  
  
Anyway.. after a bone-crushing trip inside the house, the girl   
carried him upstairs. He will never forget what happened afterwards.   
First was humiliation via tea-party. He was Lady Bwee, dressed in   
doll's clothing, and even had a miniature straw hat to compleate the   
image. He had wished she use hot tea, but that was just hopefull   
wishing. Then.. they played "doctor." ((Censors had threatened for   
this author not to reveal any of the scenes, for it may be intimidating   
for some audience members... of course I said I didn't have any.. but   
anyway.. let's move on.)) Then, a lucky break.. if one would call it   
lucky. The girl, Hell-myra.. suiting name actually... brought him back   
upstairs for a bath. What came afterwards was all too familiar. The   
girl threw the pig into scalding hot water, and out jumped a bare-naked   
teenager. (Nekid except for a damn "censored" bar in the good places.)   
Hell-myra blinks. Turns beet red, then faints.. having a funny look   
on her face. Ryouga grabbed the censor bar, stretched it.. and used it   
to tie up the girl. Nodding in appreciation, he grabs a towel, wraps   
it around himself, and exits the house.. of course, not without freeing   
the as many prisoners as he can. He would've freed more, had the girl   
not re-awoken, and was now more determined to find the   
"special-piggie." Of course.. Ryouga was running franticly toward the a   
random destination, screaming bloody murder!  
  
Durring his flee, he had stumbled on his pack, and dragged it   
along with him, so now, he was again clothed and wondering about...   
again. Ever so cautious if he was being followed. He had now reached   
another town. Good, no pastel animals in sight! Searching for anyone   
to tell him where he might be, he didn't notice someone running into   
him until...  
  
*OMPH!*   
  
He looks down at the boy who crashed into him. He was wearing   
a regular high-school uniform. Looked similar to that of Furinkan   
High's. But then, most do. The boy looks up sheepishly, rubbing the   
back of his head. He gets up and bows hastly to Ryouga.  
  
"Sorry.. my fault."  
  
The boy was just as meloncholy as he was, and seemed to   
experience his share of troubles. But not as much as he had. He   
doesn't change into a pig, or have kawaii murderers out for his hyde.  
  
"Sure. Ano.. Do you know how to get to Furinkan High?"  
  
The boy seemed to blink at this.   
  
"Yeah. It's just ar.....Man!"  
  
"What?"  
  
The boy looks at Ryouga, sheepishly rubbing the back of his   
neck, laughing.  
  
"Sorry. Don't mind me.... Okay.. Furinkan, eh? You go..   
*WACK*!"  
  
The boy began to walk stiffly backwards.  
  
"Hey! Where you going! If you don't know, you can at least say   
so!"  
  
"It's not that.. Birdy! I said I'm not fighting those things   
again.. and stop! You're embarrasing me!" The boy then proceeded to   
grab a nearby lampost, and hold on to dear life. The legs were still   
walking mechanically, as if having a mind of their own. All the while,   
Ryouga just stands there.. blinking at the oddity. What happened next   
was a little too familiar, yet just as weird.  
  
Something flashed in the boy's hand. Probably a watch, or   
something. The watch began to glow, and the boy began to change   
rapidly. What was then a scrawny black-haired boy, was now a woman   
with half-red/half-white hair, and wearing a skimpy futuristic outfit.   
She lets go of the lampost, and shakes her head.  
  
"Tsutomu, I've got a job to do, remember? Now stop being a   
wuss, and cooperate."  
  
*Thud*  
  
Birdy turned around, and saw the boy Tsutomu was talking to   
earlier sprawled out on the floor, with swirlies for eyes and a trickle   
of blood flowing from his nose. Birdy grinned sheepishly.  
  
"Oops.. Well Soooo-ry.. forgot he was there! I don't care,   
let's go."  
  
And with that the interplanetary police officer bounded toward   
the rooftops, nearly crashing, various times, into other roof-hoppers   
of Nerima.  
  
Ryouga sighed, as he finished remembering the events of the   
day. After he had awoken, he had tried to find the shape-shifting boy.   
He was probably a Jusenkyou cursed, and he'd be damned if he didn't   
learn how the boy changed without water. Of course, he realized, he   
was truly damned, because there was no trace of the boy anywhere. That   
was pretty much his day. What was left to do, but break camp? He   
rummaged into his bag, but not only did he find that his "camp" was   
broken, but muddy, torn, trampled, incomplete and useless. Well.. the   
tree was sort of comfy, now that he remembered.  
  
Ryouga threw a rock into the creek. He later figured it was a   
canal, since most creaks don't have cement banks. At least the bad   
part of the day had passed. Compared to the day's events, everything   
else would be like walking in sunshine.   
  
"Ryikia?"  
  
Then again.. too much sun, produces sunburn.  
  
Ryouga looks up to see Nodoka heading toward him, hastely   
pushing away any interference between herself and her newly-found son.   
Upon reaching him, she pulls him up into a tight hug, then holds him   
out in arm's length.  
  
"Ryikia, where have you been? I've been looking all over for   
you. I was so worried!"  
  
"You were?"  
  
"Oh, Ryikia, of course. I thought I lost you again!"   
  
"Ryouga.."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"It's... nevermind."  
  
Nodoka slowly smiles.  
  
"I know, dear. I'm sorry. It.. it just feels so right to call   
you from your birth-name. Forgive me. I won't call you that name again.   
Sit. We have much to talk about."  
  
"We do?"  
  
"Hai. Ryi.. Ryouga. We do."  
  
((I'll stop here, because of my own personal reasons..   
Okayokay.. I'm stumped on what to do next! But it'll pass. Till   
Laterz!)) 


End file.
